Tow-Starting And Towing Away - Mercedes-Benz Vito 111 CDI/BlueTEC Operating Instructions Manual

Tow-starting and towing away

Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Safety-relevant functions are restricted or not
available if:
the engine is not running.
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the brake system or the power steering is
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malfunctioning
the voltage supply or the vehicle's electrical
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system is malfunctioning.
If your vehicle is towed, significantly greater
force may be required to steer the vehicle or
to brake. There is a risk of an accident.
In such circumstances, use a towing bar.
Make sure that the steering is moving freely
before towing.
G
WARNING
If the steering wheel lock is engaged, the vehi-
cle can no longer be steered. There is a risk of
an accident.
Always switch on the ignition when towing
with a tow rope or a towing bar.
G
WARNING
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle
and its weight is greater than the permissible
gross weight of your vehicle, the:
towing eye may be torn off
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car/trailer combination may swerve or
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even overturn
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.
Information on the permissible gross vehicle
weight can be found on the vehicle identification
Y
plate ( page 379).
Secure the tow rope or tow bar to the towing
!
eye or trailer tow hitch only. The vehicle may
otherwise be damaged.
Tow-starting and towing away
! Observe the following points when towing
with a tow rope:
secure the tow rope on the same side on
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both vehicles.
make sure that the tow rope is not longer
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than legally permitted. Mark the tow rope in
the middle, e.g. with a white cloth
(30 x 30 cm). This makes other road users
aware that a vehicle is being towed.
only secure the tow rope to the towing eye.
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observe the brake lamps of the towing vehi-
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cle while driving. Always maintain a dis-
tance so that the tow rope does not sag.
do not use steel cables or chains to tow
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your vehicle. You could otherwise damage
the vehicle.
! Do not use the towing eye for recovery, this
could damage the vehicle. If in doubt, recover
the vehicle with a crane.
! Pull away smoothly when towing away or
tow-starting a vehicle. If the tractive power is
too high, the vehicles could be damaged.
Shift the automatic transmission to N and
!
do not open the driver's or front passenger's
door during towing. The automatic transmis-
sion may otherwise shift to position P, which
could damage the transmission.
! You may tow the vehicle for a maximum of
50km. A towing speed of 50 km/h must not
be exceeded.
For towing distances over 50 km, the entire
vehicle must be lifted up and transported.
When towing away, you must observe the legal
requirements for the country in which you are
currently driving.
It is better to have the vehicle transported than
to have it towed.
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter or
trailer if it has transmission damage.
Vehicles with automatic transmission: when
towing a vehicle, the automatic transmission
must be in position N. If the automatic trans-
mission cannot be shifted to position N, have
the vehicle transported on a transporter or
trailer.
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