Towing A Trailer - Mercedes-Benz 2013 C-Class Coupe Owner's Manual

Towing a trailer

If you attach a trailer, make sure that you have
correctly established the electrical connec-
tion. This can be accomplished by checking
the trailer lighting.
Towing a trailer
Notes on towing a trailer
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The braking system can overheat if you leave
your foot on the brake pedal while driving.
This increases the braking distance and could
even cause the braking system to fail. There
is a risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Do
not simultaneously depress both the brake
pedal and the accelerator pedal while driving.
G
WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle/trailer
combination if it begins to swerve. The vehi-
cle/trailer combination could even overturn.
There is a risk of an accident.
On no account should you attempt to
straighten out the vehicle/trailer combina-
tion by increasing speed. Decrease your
speed and do not countersteer. Brake if nec-
essary.
G
WARNING
If the maximum the permissible load for a car-
rier system is exceeded, the carrier could
come loose from the vehicle and endanger
other road users. There is a risk of an accident
and injury.
Never exceed the permissible noseweight
when using a carrier.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If you exceed the maximum permissible nose-
weight of the trailer drawbar on the ball cou-
pling, the following may become damaged:
your vehicle
R
the trailer
R
the ball coupling
R
the trailer tow hitch
R
The vehicle/trailer combination could
become unstable.
If the noseweight used is lower than the min-
imum permissible noseweight, the vehicle/
trailer combination could also become unsta-
ble.
To avoid hazardous situations:
make sure to check the noseweight before
R
each journey.
use a drawbar noseweight as close as pos-
R
sible to the maximum noseweight.
do not exceed the maximum permissible
R
noseweight.
do not use a noseweight lower than the
R
minimum permissible trailer drawbar nose-
weight.
When reversing the vehicle towards the
trailer, make sure there is nobody between
the trailer and the vehicle.
Couple and uncouple the trailer carefully. If
you do not couple the trailer to the towing
vehicle correctly, the trailer could become
detached.
Make sure that the following values are not
exceeded:
the permissible trailer drawbar noseweight
R
the permissible trailer load
R
the permissible rear axle load of the towing
R
vehicle
the maximum permissible gross vehicle
R
weight of both the towing vehicle and the
trailer
Towing a trailer
Z
209