Get Breakdown assistance -> Tow-starting or towing away Guide for Mercedes C Class 4 Door 2023

Breakdown assistance

643

4MATIC vehicles

Permitted towing methods

Tow-starting or towing away

Permitted towing methods (not plug-in hybrid)

NOTE Damage to the vehicle due to tow-

ing away incorrectly

Observe the instructions and notes on

towing away.

Both axles on Yes, for a maximum of 50 km

NOTE Damage from automatic braking

the ground

at 50 km/h

If one of the following functions is activated,

the vehicle will brake automatically in certain

situations:

Vehicles with rear wheel drive

Front axle

raised

Permitted towing methods

Active Brake Assist

Rear axle

raised

Both axles on Yes, for a maximum of 50 km

the ground

Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC

at 50 km/h

HOLD function

Towing with a raised axle: towing should be per-

formed by a towing company.

Front axle

raised

Active Parking Assist

To avoid damaging the vehicle, deactivate

these systems e.g. during towing or in the car

wash.

Rear axle

raised

Yes, if the steering wheel is

ﬁxed in the centre position

with a steering wheel lock

Permitted towing methods (plug-in hybrid)

The following information does not apply to

Mercedes-AMG E Performance vehicles.

Mercedes-Benz recommends transporting your

vehicle in the case of a breakdown, rather than

towing it away.

NOTE Mercedes-AMG vehicles

Observe the notes in the Supplement.

You could otherwise fail to recognise

dangers.

For towing with both axles on the ground, use a

tow rope or tow rod. Do not use tow bar systems.

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Mercedes-Benz recommends transporting your

vehicle in the case of a breakdown, rather than

towing it away.

For towing with both axles on the ground, use a

tow rope or tow rod. Do not use tow bar systems.

speed of 10 km/h must not be exceeded. Beyond 4MATIC vehicles

these limits, only transporting is permitted.

Permitted towing methods

Vehicles with rear wheel drive

Permitted towing methods

Both axles on the

ground

Yes, for a maximum of

50 km at 50 km/h,

only forwards with the

driver in the vehicle

Both axles on the

ground

Yes, for a maximum of

NOTE Damage to the vehicle due to tow-

ing away incorrectly

50 km at 50 km/h,

only forwards with the

driver in the vehicle

Front axle raised

Rear axle raised

Observe the instructions and notes on

towing away.

Front axle raised

Rear axle raised

In the following situations, only transporting the

vehicle is permitted:

Yes, if the steering

wheel is ﬁxed in the

centre position with a

steering wheel lock

Permissible towing methods (Mercedes-AMG E

Performance)

the driver's display is not working

the á Towing not permitted See Owner's

NOTE Damage caused by towing

Manual display message appears in the driv-

Towing can damage the hybrid drive system.

er's display

Have the vehicle loaded and transported

Exception: if the vehicle is located in a danger

zone, it can be recovered from the danger zone

despite the á Towing not permitted See

Owner's Manual display message or the display

not working. It must not be towed further than

50 m with both axles on the ground. A towing

rather than towed.

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Breakdown assistance

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Towing the vehicle with both axles on the ground

towed away exceeds the permissible

gross mass.

NOTE Damage due to towing away at

excessively high speeds or over long dis-

tances

Observe the notes on the permitted towing

methods.

If a vehicle has to be tow-started or towed away,

its permissible gross mass must not exceed the

permissible gross mass of the towing vehicle.

Make sure that the battery is connected and

charged.

The drivetrain could be damaged when towing

at excessively high speeds or over long distan-

ces.

Information on the permissible gross mass of

Observe the following points when the battery is

discharged:

A towing speed of 50 km/h must not be

exceeded.

A towing distance of 50 km must not be

exceeded.

the vehicle can be found on the vehicle identi-

ﬁcation plate (/ page 783).

The vehicle cannot be started.

Vehicles with automatic transmission: do not

The electric parking brake cannot be released

or applied.

open the driver's door or front-passenger

door; the transmission otherwise automati-

cally shiꢀs to position j.

Vehicles with automatic transmission: the

WARNING Risk of accident when towing a

vehicle which is too heavy

transmission cannot be shiꢀed to position i

or j.

Fit the towing eye (/ page 647).

Fasten the towing device.

If the vehicle to be tow-started or towed away

is heavier than the permissible gross mass of

your vehicle, the following situations can

occur:

Vehicles with automatic transmission: if the

transmission cannot be shiꢀed to position i

or if the display does not show anything,

transport the vehicle (/ page 646). A towing

vehicle with liꢀing equipment is required for

vehicle transportation.

NOTE Damage due to incorrect connec-

tion of the tow bar

the towing eye may become detached.

the vehicle/trailer combination may

swerve or overturn.

Only connect the tow rope or tow bar to

the towing eyes.

Deactivate the automatic locking mechanism

(/ page 154).

Before tow-starting or towing away,

check if the vehicle to be tow-started or

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Do not activate the HOLD function.

Deactivate tow-away protection

(/ page 172).

Shiꢀ the automatic transmission to position

Use a tow bar.

Make sure that the steering wheel can

move freely before towing the vehicle

away.

The automatic transmission may be locked in

position j in the event of damage to the

electrics. To shiꢀ to i, provide the on-board

electrical system with power (/ page 57).

Deactivate Active Brake Assist (/ page 369).

Vehicles with automatic transmission: shiꢀ to

position i.

NOTE Damage due to excessive tractive

power

Load the vehicle onto the transporter.

Shiꢀ the automatic transmission to position

Release the electric parking brake.

If you pull away sharply, the tractive power

may be too high and the vehicles could be

damaged.

WARNING Risk of accident due to limited

safety-related functions during the towing

process

Use the electric parking brake to secure the

vehicle against rolling away.

Only secure the vehicle by the wheels.

Pull away slowly and smoothly.

Safety-related functions are limited or no lon-

ger available in the following situations:

Loading the vehicle for transport

the vehicle is switched oﬀ.

Hybrid vehicles: Transport of vehicles should only

be carried out by professional towing companies.

the brake system or power steering system

is malfunctioning.

Observe the notes on towing away

(/ page 62).

the energy supply or the on-board electri-

cal system is malfunctioning.

Connect the towing device to the towing eye

When your vehicle is towed away, signiﬁcantly

more eﬀort may be required to steer and

brake than is normally required.

in order to load the vehicle.

You can also attach the tow bar to the trailer

hitch.

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Breakdown assistance

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4MATIC vehicles/vehicles with automatic trans-

mission

Plug-in hybrid

The towing eye 1 is located under the boot ﬂoor

in the loading sill.

Depending on the vehicle version, the towing

eye is in a diﬀerent position in the boot.

Fitting and removing the towing eye

The towing eye 1 is located in a holder in the

luggage compartment on the leꢀ.

Make sure that the front and rear axles come

to rest on the same transportation vehicle.

Not plug-in hybrid

NOTE Damage to the drive train due to

incorrect positioning of the vehicle

Do not position the vehicle above the

connection point of the transport vehi-

cle.

Towing eye storage location

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648

Press the mark on the cover 1 inwards and

remove.

Vehicles with an automatic transmission must

not be tow-started.

NOTE Damage to the vehicle due to incor-

rect use of the towing eye or trailer hitch

When a towing eye or trailer hitch is used to

recover a vehicle, the vehicle may be damaged

in the process.

Electrical fuses

Notes on electrical fuses

Only use the towing eye or trailer hitch to

tow away or tow start the vehicle.

WARNING Risk of accident and injury due

to overloaded lines

Do not use the towing eye or trailer hitch

to tow the vehicle during recovery.

If you manipulate or bridge a faulty fuse or if

you replace it with a fuse with a higher amper-

age, the electric line could be overloaded.

Tow-starting the vehicle

This could result in a ﬁre.

Depending on the vehicle version, use a tool

(suchas a screwdriver) to prise the cover out

of recess 2.

Screw in the towing eye clockwise as far as it

will go and tighten.

Vehicles with automatic transmission

Always replace faulty fuses with speci-

ﬁed new fuses containing the correct

amperage.

NOTE Damage to the automatic transmis-

sion due to tow-starting

The automatic transmission may be damaged

in the process of tow-starting vehicles with

automatic transmission.

NOTE Damage due to incorrect fuses

Vehicles with a trailer hitch: vehicles with a trailer

hitch do not have a rear bracket for the towing

eye. Fasten the tow bar to the trailer hitch.

Using incorrect fuses can result in damage to

electrical components or systems or their

functions being considerably restricted.

Vehicles with automatic transmission

must not be tow-started.

Aꢀer removing the towing eye, engage the

cover 1 in the bumper.

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Breakdown assistance -> Tow-starting or towing away for Your Mercedes C Class 4 Door 2023

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