trailer MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG COUPE 2012 Owners Manual

:Sensors in the front bumper, left-hand
side (example)
Range of the sensors
General notes
The sensors must be free of dirt, ice and
slush. Otherwise, they may not function
correctly. Clean the sensors regularly, taking
care not to scratch or damage them
( Y page 228).
Example: side view (Coupe)
Example: top view (Coupe)
Front sensorsCenterapproximately 40in
(approximately 100cm)Cornersapproximately 24in
(approximately 60cm)
Rear sensors
Centerapproximately 48in
(approximately 120cm)Cornersapproximately 32in
(approximately 80cm)
! 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.
Minimum distance
Centerapproximately 12in
(approximately 30cm)Cornersapproximately 12in
(approximately 30cm)
If there is an obstacle within this range, the
relevant warning displays light up and a
warning tone sounds. If the distance falls
below the minimum, the distance may no
longer be shown.
140Driving systemsDriving and parking

XPull out cover : forwards.XTake cover : off the opening.
Removing the towing eye
XTake the lug wrench 17
from the wheel-
change tool kit ( Y page 232).XInsert the lug wrench handle into the
towing eye and turn it counter-clockwise.XUnscrew the towing eye.XAttach cover : to the bumper and press
until it engages.XReturn the towing eye and the lug wrench
to the wheel-change tool kit.
Towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised
When towing your vehicle with the rear axle
raised, it is important that you observe the
safety instructions ( Y page 244).
Only tow the vehicle with the rear axle raised
in exceptional cases.
! The engine must be switched off
(SmartKey in ignition lock in position 0 or
position 1) if the vehicle is being towed with
the rear axle raised or if the parking brake
is being tested on a dynamometer.
Intervention by ESP ®
could otherwise
damage the brake system.
XSwitch on the hazard warning lamps
( Y page 96).XMake sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition and that the engine is
running throughout the towing procedure.XMove the transmission to N with the E-
SELECT lever. Check the transmission
position in the instrument cluster.
Towing a vehicle with both axles on
the ground
When having your vehicle towed, observe the
important safety notes ( Y page 244).
XSwitch on the hazard warning lamps
( Y page 96).
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.
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock
( Y page 115).XStart the engine and leave the SmartKey in
the ignition.XMove the transmission to N with the E-
SELECT lever.XCheck the transmission position in the
instrument cluster display ( Y page 121).XLeave the engine running during the entire
towing procedure.
Transporting the vehicle
The towing eye can be used to pull the vehicle
onto a trailer or transporter for transporting
purposes.
! Only lash the vehicle down by the wheels
or wheel rims, not by parts of the vehicle
17 Not included in the scope of delivery.246Towing and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

corresponding pressures for tires
installed at the factory.(2)The vehicle identification plate is on the
B-pillar on the driver's side. The vehicle
identification plate informs you of the
gross vehicle weight rating. It is made up
of the vehicle weight, all vehicle
occupants, the fuel and the cargo. You
can also find information about the
maximum gross axle weight rating on the
front and rear axle.
The maximum gross axle weight rating is
the maximum weight that can be carried
by one axle (front or rear axle). Never
exceed the maximum load or the
maximum gross axle weight rating for the
front or rear axle.:B-pillar, driver's side
Maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight rating
i The specifications shown on the Tire and
Loading Information placard in the
illustration are examples. The maximum
permissible gross vehicle weight rating is
vehicle-specific and may differ from that in
the illustration. You can find the valid
maximum permissible gross vehicle weight
rating for your vehicle on the Tire and
Loading Information placard.
XThe Tire and Loading Information placard
gives you details on maximum permissible
gross vehicle weight rating :: "The gross
weight of occupants and luggage must
never exceed XXX kilograms or XXX
pounds."
The gross weight of all vehicle occupants,
cargo, luggage and trailer load/noseweight (if
applicable) must not exceed the specified
value.
Number of seats
i The specifications shown on the Tire and
Loading Information placard in the
illustration are examples. The number of
seats is vehicle-specific and can differ from
the details shown. The number of seats in
your vehicle can be found on the Tire and
Loading Information placard.
Maximum number of seats : determines the
maximum number of occupants allowed to
travel in the vehicle. This information can be
260Loading the vehicleTires and wheels

found on the Tire and Loading Information
placard.
Determining the correct load limit
Step-by-step instructions
The following steps have been developed as
required of all manufacturers under Title 49,
Code of U.S. Federal Regulations, Part 575
pursuant to the "National Traffic and Motor
Vehicle Safety Act of 1966".
XStep 1: Locate the statement "The
combined weight of occupants and cargo
should never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs." on
your vehicle's Tire and Loading Information
placard.XStep 2: Determine the combined weight of
the driver and passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.XStep 3: Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers from XXX
kilograms or XXX lbs.XStep 4: The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if the "XXX" amount
equals 1400 lbs and there will be five 150
lb passengers in your vehicle, the amount
of available cargo and luggage load
capacity is 650 lbs (1400 - 750 (5 x 150) =
650 lbs).X Step 5: Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely exceed
the available cargo and luggage load
capacity calculated in step 4.XStep 6 (if applicable): If your vehicle will
be towing a trailer, load from your trailer
will be transferred to your vehicle. Consult
this manual to determine how this reduces
the available cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle ( Y page 263).Loading the vehicle261Tires and wheelsZ

Example: steps 1 to 3
The following table shows examples on how to calculate total load and cargo capacities with
varying seating configurations and number and size of occupants. The following examples use
a load limit of 1500 lbs (680 kg). This is for illustration purposes only. Make sure you are
using the actual load limit for your vehicle stated on the vehicle’s Tire and Loading Information
placard ( Y page 260).
Example 1Example 2Step 1Combined maximum
weight of occupants and
cargo (data from the Tire
and Loading Information
placard)1500 lbs (680 kg)1500 lbs (680 kg)Example 1Example 2Step 2Number of people in the
vehicle (driver and
occupants)12Weight of the occupantsOccupant 1: 175 lbs
(80 kg)Occupant 1: 175 lbs
(80 kg)
Occupant 2: 195 lbs)
(88 kgGross weight of all
occupants175 lbs (80 kg)370 lbs (168 kg)Example 1Example 2Step 3Permissible cargo and
trailer load/noseweight
(maximum gross vehicle
weight rating from the Tire
and Loading Information
placard minus the gross
weight of all occupants)1500 lbs (680 kg) -
175 lbs (80 kg) =
1325 lbs (600 kg)1500 lbs (680 kg) -
370 lbs (168 kg) =
1130 lbs (512 kg)
The higher the weight of all the occupants, the smaller the maximum load for luggage.
Further information can be found under "Towing a trailer" ( Y page 263).
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 axleweight 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 259).262Loading the vehicleTires and wheels

Gross vehicle weight: the gross weight of
the vehicle, all passengers, cargo 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).
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.
Trailer load/noseweight
The trailer load/noseweight affects the gross
weight of the vehicle. If a trailer is attached,
the trailer load/noseweight is included in the
load along with occupants and luggage. The
trailer load/noseweight is usually
approximately 10% of the gross weight of the
trailer and its load.
Your Mercedes-Benz has been designed
primarily to carry passengers and their
luggage. Mercedes-Benz does not
recommend towing a trailer with your vehicle.
Maximum load rating
GWARNING
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard on the
driver's door B-pillar. Overloading the tires
can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout. Overloading the tires can also result
in handling or steering problems, or brake
failure.
i The actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
Maximum tire load : is the maximum
permissible weight for which the tire is
approved.
Further information on tire loads
( Y page 265).
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 :,
tire traction ;, and heat resistance =. All
tires sold in North America are provided with
the corresponding quality class mark on the
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards263Tires and wheelsZ