towing MERCEDES-BENZ WAGON 2015 S212 User Guide

Do not scrub.
Do not touch the surfaces or protective
films with hard objects, e.g. a ring or ice
scraper. You could otherwise scratch or
damage the surfaces and protective film.
! Do not park the vehicle for an extended
period straight after cleaning it, particularly after having cleaned the wheels with wheel cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
increased corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. For this reason, you
should drive for a few minutes after clean-
ing. Braking heats the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings, thus drying them. The
vehicle can then be parked.
Regular care of your vehicle is a condition for
retaining the quality in the long term.
Use care products and cleaning agents rec-
ommended and approved by Mercedes-Benz. Washing the vehicle and cleaning the
paintwork
Automatic car wash G
WARNING
Braking efficiency is reduced after washing
the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
After the vehicle has been washed, brake
carefully while paying attention to the traffic
conditions until full braking power is restored.
! If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes automati-
cally in certain situations. To prevent dam-
age to the vehicle, deactivate DISTRONIC
PLUS and the HOLD function in the follow-
ing or other similar situations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
! Never clean your vehicle in a Touchless
Automatic Car Wash as these use special
cleaning agents. These cleaning agents can
damage the paintwork or plastic parts. !
Make sure that:
R the side windows and the sliding sunroof
are fully closed.
R the ventilation/heating is switched off
(the OFF button has been pressed).
R the windshield wiper switch is in position
0.
Otherwise, the vehicle might be damaged.
! In car washes with a towing mechanism,
make sure that the automatic transmission
is in transmission position N, otherwise the
vehicle could be damaged.
R Vehicles with a SmartKey:
Do not remove the SmartKey from the
ignition lock. Do not open the driver's
door or front-passenger door when the
engine is switched off. Otherwise, the
automatic transmission selects park
position Pautomatically and locks the
wheels. You can prevent this by shifting
the automatic transmission to Nbefore-
hand.
R Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO:
Do not open the driver's door or front-
passenger door when the engine is
switched off. Otherwise, the automatic
transmission selects park position P
automatically and locks the wheels.
! If the SmartKey is within the rear detec-
tion range of KEYLESS-GO, the following
situations, for example, could lead to the
unintentional opening of the trunk lid/tail-
gate:
R using a car wash
R using a power washer
Make sure that the SmartKey is at least
6.5 ft (2 m) away from the vehicle.
Observe the following to make sure that the
automatic transmission stays in position N:336
CareMaintenance and care

Useful information
............................344
Where will I find...? ...........................344
Flat tire .............................................. 345
Battery (vehicle) ................................ 349
Jump-starting .................................... 353
Towing and tow-starting ..................355
Fuses .................................................. 358 343Roadside Assistance

Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional equip- ment of your vehicle available at the time of
publication of the Operator's Manual.
Country-specific differences are possible.
Please note that your vehicle may not be
equipped with all features described. This
also applies to safety-related systems and
functions.
i Read the information on qualified special-
ist workshops (Y page 27). Where will I find...?
Vehicle tool kit
General notes The vehicle tool kit can be found in the stow-
age well under the trunk floor/cargo com-
partment floor (Y page 306). Depending on
the vehicle equipment, the vehicle tool kit is
on the left-hand side or the right-hand side in the stowage well under the trunk floor/cargo
compartment floor.
Vehicles with a TIREFIT kit Vehicle tool kit in the left-hand stowage well (exam-
ple: equipment and country-specific variations
possible)
0043 Tire sealant filler bottle
0044 Folding wheel chock
0087 One pair of gloves (under jack)
0085 Tire inflation compressor 0083
Towing eye
0084 Jack
006B Alignment bolt
006C Fuse allocation chart
006D Lug wrench
X Open the trunk lid/tailgate.
X Sedan: lift up the floor of the trunk
(Y page 306).
Vehicles with a spare
wheel/"Minispare" emergency spare
wheel (Example: equipment and country-specific varia-
tions possible)
0043 Vehicle tool kit tray
0044 Stowage well
0087 Spare wheel/"Minispare" emergency
spare wheel
X Open the trunk lid/tailgate.
X Sedan: lift up the floor of the trunk
(Y page 306).
The vehicle tool kit contains:
R Folding wheel chock
R Fuse allocation chart
R Jack
R Alignment bolt
R One pair of gloves
R Lug wrench
R Towing eye 344
Where will I find...?Roadside Assistance

Vehicles with a collapsible spare wheel
(Example: equipment and country-specific varia-
tions possible)
0043 Towing eye
0044 One pair of gloves
0087 Jack
0085 Folding wheel chock
0083 Alignment bolt
0084 Sheet for faulty wheel
006B Tire inflation compressor
006C Lug wrench
006D Fuse allocation chart
X Open the trunk lid.
X Lift the trunk floor upwards (Y page 306).Flat tire
Preparing the vehicle
Your vehicle may be equipped with: R MOExtended tires (tires with run-flat prop-
erties) (Y page 345)
Vehicle preparation is not necessary on
vehicles with MOExtended tires
R a TIREFIT kit (Y page 344)
R an emergency spare wheel (Y page 404)
Information on changing/mounting a wheel
(Y page 384).
X Stop the vehicle on solid, non-slippery and
level ground, as far away as possible from
traffic.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps. X
Secure the vehicle against rolling away
(Y page 179).
X If possible, bring the front wheels into the
straight-ahead position.
X Vehicles with AIRMATIC: make sure that
"normal" level is selected (Y page 202).
X Switch off the engine.
X Vehicles without KEYLESS-GO: remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: open the
driver's door.
The on-board electronics now have status
0. This is the same as the SmartKey having
been removed.
X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: remove the
Start/Stop button from the ignition lock
(Y page 158).
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 while 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. MOExtended tires (tires with run-flat
properties)
General notes With MOExtended tires (tires with run flat
characteristics), you can continue to drive
your vehicle even if there is a total loss of
pressure in one or more tires. The affected
tire must not show any clearly visible damage.
You can recognize MOExtended tires by the
MOExtended marking which appears on the
sidewall of the tire. You will find this marking next to the tire size designation, the load-
bearing capacity and the speed index
(Y page 378). Flat tire
345Roadside Assistance

X
Slide cover 0043of positive terminal 0044in the direction of the arrow.
X Connect positive terminal 0044on your vehicle to positive terminal 0087of donor battery 0084
using the jumper cable, always begin with positive terminal 0044on your own vehicle first.
X Start the engine of the donor vehicle and run it at idling speed.
X Connect negative terminal 0085of donor battery 0084to ground point 0083of your vehicle using
the jumper cable, connecting the jumper cable to battery of other vehicle 0084first.
X Start the engine.
X Before disconnecting the jumper cables, let the engine run for several minutes.
X First, remove the jumper cables from earth point 0083and negative terminal 0085, then from
positive clamp 0044and positive terminal 0087. Begin each time at the contacts on your own
vehicle first.
X Close cover 0043of positive clamp 0044after removing the jumper cables.
X Have the battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
i Jump-starting is not considered to be a normal operating condition.
i Jumper cables and further information regarding jump-starting can be obtained at any
qualified specialist workshop. Towing and tow-starting
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Functions relevant to safety are restricted or
no longer available if:
R the engine is not running.
R the brake system or the power steering is
malfunctioning.
R there is a malfunction in the voltage supply
or the vehicle's electrical system.
If your vehicle is being towed, much more
force may be necessary to steer or brake.
There is a risk of an accident.
In such cases, use a tow bar. Before towing,
make sure that the steering moves freely. G
WARNING
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle
and its weight is greater than the permissible gross weight of your vehicle, the:
R the towing eye could detach itself
R the vehicle/trailer combination could roll-
over. There is a risk of an accident.
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle,
its weight should not be greater than the per-
missible gross weight of your vehicle.
i Details on the permissible gross vehicle
weight of your vehicle can be found on the
vehicle identification plate (Y page 410).
! If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes automati-
cally in certain situations. To prevent dam- age to the vehicle, deactivate DISTRONIC
PLUS and the HOLD function in the follow-
ing or other similar situations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
! Only secure the tow rope or tow bar at the
towing eyes. Otherwise, the vehicle could
be damaged.
! Do not use the towing eye for recovery,
this could damage the vehicle. If in doubt,
recover the vehicle with a crane. Towing and tow-starting
355Roadside Assistance Z

!
When towing, pull away slowly and
smoothly. If the tractive power is too high,
the vehicles could be damaged.
! Do not tow with sling-type equipment.
This could damage the vehicle.
! When towing vehicles with KEYLESS-GO,
use the key instead of the Start/Stop but-
ton. Otherwise, the automatic transmission
may shift to position Pwhen the driver's or
front-passenger door are opened, which
could lead to damage to the transmission.
! The vehicle can be towed a maximum of
30 miles (50km). The towing speed of
30 mph (50 km/h) must not be exceeded.
If the vehicle has to be towed more than
30 miles (50km), the entire vehicle must be
raised and transported.
! If you tow or tow-start another vehicle, its
weight must not exceed the maximum per- missible gross vehicle weight of your vehi-
cle.
HYBRID vehicles : make sure that you read
the "HYBRID" supplement included in the
vehicle literature. You could otherwise fail to
recognize dangers e.g. due to high voltage.
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed away.
If the vehicle has suffered transmission dam-
age, have it transported on a transporter or
trailer.
The automatic transmission must be in posi-
tion Nwhen the vehicle is being towed.
The battery must be connected and charged. Otherwise, you:
R cannot turn the SmartKey to position 2in
the ignition lock
R cannot shift the automatic transmission to
position N
i Disarm the automatic locking feature
before the vehicle is towed (Y page 90). You
could otherwise be locked out when push-
ing or towing the vehicle. Installing/removing the towing eye
Installing the towing eye G
WARNING
The exhaust tail pipe may be very hot. There is
a risk of burns when removing the rear cover.
Do not touch the exhaust pipe. Take particular
care when removing the rear cover. Towing eye covers (example: Sedan)
The mountings for the removable towing eyes
are located in the bumpers. They are at the
front and at the rear, behind the covers.
X Remove the towing eye from the vehicle
tool kit (Y page 344).
X Press the mark on cover 0043inwards in the
direction of the arrow.
X Take cover 0043off the opening.
X Screw in and tighten the towing eye clock-
wise to the stop.
Removing the towing eye X
Unscrew and remove the towing eye.
X Attach cover 0043to the bumper and press
until it engages.
X Place the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit. 356
Towing and tow-startingRoadside Assistance

Towing a vehicle with both axles on
the ground
It is important that you observe the safety
instructions when towing away your vehicle
(Y page 355).
The automatic transmission automatically
shifts to position Pwhen 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 Nwhen 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 posi- tion 0.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock.
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use the
SmartKey instead of the Start/Stop button
(Y page 158).
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the parking brake.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 131).
X Leave the SmartKey in position 2in the
ignition lock.
i When towing with the hazard warning
lamps switched on, use the combination
switch as usual to signal a change of direc- tion. In this case, only the indicator lamps
for the direction of travel flash. After reset- ting the combination switch, the hazard
warning lamp starts flashing again. 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 other-
wise damage the brake system. Only possible for vehicles without
4MATIC.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 131).
X Bring the front wheels into the straight-
ahead position.
X Turn the SmartKey in the ignition lock to
position 0and remove the SmartKey from
the ignition lock.
X When leaving the vehicle, take the Smart-
Key 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 355). Transporting the vehicle
! You may only secure the vehicle by the
wheels, 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 2in the igni-
tion lock.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
As soon as the vehicle has been loaded: X Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the parking brake.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the igni-
tion lock and remove the SmartKey from
the ignition lock.
X Secure the vehicle. Notes on 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. Towing and tow-starting
357Roadside Assistance Z

X
Remove vehicle tool kit tray 0043.
X Turn stowage tray 0044counter-clockwise
and remove it.
X Remove "Minispare" emergency spare
wheel 0087.
Removing the emergency spare wheel
(Wagon) Example: emergency spare wheel
X Remove vehicle tool kit tray 0043by
recess 0044.
X Remove "Minispare" emergency spare
wheel 0087.
Removing the emergency spare wheel
(AMG vehicles) X
Reach into cutout 0043in the tool holder and
lift it up.
X Remove collapsible spare wheel 0044.
Always observe the instructions and safety
notes in the "Mounting a wheel" section
(Y page 385). Stowing a used collapsible spare
wheel
! Only place the collapsible spare wheel in
the vehicle when it is dry. Otherwise, mois-
ture may get into the vehicle.
Take the following steps to stow a used col-
lapsible spare wheel. It will not otherwise fit
into the spare wheel well. Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you have this work per-
formed at a qualified specialist workshop, e.g. at an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
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 tires 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 sheet from the vehi-
cle tool kit and pull it over the collapsible
spare wheel.
X Stow the collapsible spare wheel in the
emergency spare wheel well under the
trunk/cargo compartment. Inflating the collapsible spare wheel
! Inflate the collapsible spare wheel using
the tire inflation compressor before lower-
ing the vehicle. The wheel rim could other-
wise be damaged.
! Do not operate the tire inflation compres-
sor for longer than eight minutes at a time
without a break. It may otherwise overheat.
The tire inflation compressor can be oper-
ated again once it has cooled down. Emergency spare wheel
405Wheels andtires Z