Get Breakdown assistance -> Towing and tow-starting Guide for Mercedes GLE SUV First Generation (2016-2019)

Towing and tow-starting

361

X Slide cover : of positive terminal ; in the direction of the arrow.

X Connect positive terminal ; on your vehicle to positive terminal = of donor battery B using the

jump lead. Always begin with positive terminal ; on your own vehicle first.

X Start the engine of the donor vehicle and run it at idling speed.

X Connect negative terminal ? of donor battery B to earth point A of your vehicle using the jump

lead. Connect the jump lead to donor battery B first.

X Start the engine.

X Before disconnecting the jump leads, let the engines run for several minutes.

X First, remove the jump leads from earth point A and negative terminal ?, then from positive

clamp ; and positive terminal =. Each time, begin at the contacts on your own vehicle.

X After removing the jump leads, close cover : of positive terminal clamp ;.

X Have the battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop.

Jump-starting is not considered to be a normal operating condition.

i Jump-starting cables and further information regarding jump-starting can be obtained at any

qualified specialist workshop.

Towing and tow-starting

There is a risk of an accident.

When towing or tow-starting another vehicle,

Important safety notes

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its weight should not be greater than the per-

Plug-in hybrid: be sure to read the separate

missible gross weight of your vehicle.

Owner's Manual. You could otherwise fail to

recognise dangers, e.g. due to high voltage.

Details on the permissible gross vehicle weight

of your vehicle can be found on the vehicle iden-

G WARNING

tification plate ( Y page 386).

Safety-relevant functions are restricted or not

! When Active Brake Assist, Distance Pilot

available if:

DISTRONIC or the HOLD function is activated,

R the engine is not running.

the vehicle brakes automatically in certain

situations.

R the brake system or the power steering is

To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate

malfunctioning

these systems in the following or similar sit-

R the voltage supply or the vehicle's electrical

uations:

system is malfunctioning.

R when towing away

If your vehicle is towed, significantly greater

R in a car wash

force may be required to steer the vehicle or

! Make sure that the electric parking brake is

to brake. There is a risk of an accident.

released. If the electric parking brake is faulty,

In such circumstances, use a towing bar.

visit a qualified specialist workshop.

Make sure that the steering is moving freely

! Only secure the tow cable or tow bar to the

before towing.

towing eyes or, if available, to the trailer tow

hitch. You could otherwise damage the vehi-

G WARNING

cle.

When towing or tow-starting another vehicle

! Observe the following points when towing

and its weight is greater than the permissible

with a tow rope:

gross weight of your vehicle, the:

R Secure the tow rope on the same side on

R towing eye may be torn off

both vehicles.

R car/trailer combination may swerve or

R Make sure that the tow rope is not longer

than legally permitted. Mark the tow rope in

even overturn

Towing and tow-starting

362

the middle, e.g. with a white cloth

The battery must be connected and charged.

(30 x 30 cm). This will make other road

Otherwise, you:

users aware that a vehicle is being towed.

R cannot turn the key to key position 2 in the

R Only secure the tow cable to the towing

ignition lock

eyes or, if available, to the trailer tow hitch.

R cannot release the electric parking brake

R Observe the brake lamps of the towing

R cannot shift the automatic transmission to

vehicle while driving. Always maintain a dis-

position i

tance a distance so that the tow rope does

Deactivate the automatic locking feature before

not sag.

towing the vehicle ( Y page 253). You could oth-

R Do not use steel cables or chains to tow

erwise be locked out when pushing or towing

your vehicle. You could otherwise damage

the vehicle.

Deactivate tow-away protection before the vehi-

! Do not use the trailer tow hitch for recovery

cle is towed ( Y page 80).

or towing. Do not use the towing eye for

If the vehicle is in a dangerous location, it may be

recovery. This could damage the vehicle. If in

towed from the danger zone with both axles on

doubt, have the vehicle recovered using a

the ground. In this case, the towing distance

crane.

may not be greater than 50 m and the towing

speed must not exceed 10 km/h. For longer

! When towing, pull away slowly and

distances, have the vehicle loaded and trans-

smoothly. Pull the towed vehicle as straight as

ported.

possible and not at an acute angle. If the trac-

tive power is too high, the vehicles could be

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damaged.

Fitting/removing the towing eye

When towing, it is preferable to use a rigid tow-

ing bar as opposed to a tow rope. A rigid towing

Fitting the towing eye

bar helps to keep the tractive power low.

! When towing away vehicles with KEYLESS-

GO, use the key instead of the Start/Stop

button. The automatic transmission may oth-

erwise shift to position j when you open the

driver's or front-passenger door, which could

damage the transmission.

! Vehicles with differential locks: make sure

the differential locks are in automatic mode.

When towing, the differential locks must not

be switched on. The transmission may other-

wise be damaged.

! You may tow the vehicle for a maximum of

50 km. 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.

Observe the legal requirements in each individ-

The mountings for the removable towing eyes

ual country when towing.

are located in the bumpers. They are at the front

It is better to have the vehicle transported than

and rear behind covers :;.

to have it towed.

X Remove the towing eye from the vehicle tool

If the vehicle has suffered transmission damage,

kit ( Y page 350).

have it transported on a transporter or trailer.

X To open the cover at the front: press the

The automatic transmission must be in position

mark on cover : inwards in the direction of

i when the vehicle is being towed.

the arrow.

Towing and tow-starting

363

X To open the cover at the rear: insert a flat,

Transporting the vehicle

blunt object into the cutout and lever

4MATIC vehicles/vehicles with auto-

cover ; out of the bumper.

matic transmission

X Take cover : or ; off the opening.

X Screw in the towing eye clockwise as far as it

will go and tighten it.

Removing the towing eye

X Loosen the towing eye and unscrew it.

X Position cover : or ; in the bumper and

press the cover on until it engages.

X Place the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit.

Towing the vehicle away with all

wheels on the ground

! When the vehicle is loaded for transport, the

front and rear axles must be stationary and on

The automatic transmission shifts to position

the same transportation vehicle. Positioning

j automatically when you open the driver's or

over the connection point of the transport

front-passenger door or when you remove the

vehicle is not permitted. The drive train may

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key from the ignition lock.

otherwise be damaged.

In order to ensure that the automatic transmis-

sion stays in position i when towing away the

All vehicles

vehicle, you must observe the following points:

! You may only secure the vehicle by the

X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary.

wheels, not by parts of the vehicle such as

X Turn the key to key position 2 in the ignition

axle or steering components. Otherwise, the

lock.

vehicle could be damaged.

X Depress the brake pedal and keep it

The towing eye can be used to pull the vehicle

depressed.

onto a trailer or transporter if you wish to trans-

X Shift the automatic transmission to position

port it.

X Turn the key to key position 2 in the ignition

X Leave the key in key position 2 in the ignition

lock.

X Shift the automatic transmission to position

X Release the brake pedal.

X Release the electric parking brake.

As soon as the vehicle is loaded:

X Switch on the hazard warning lamps

( Y page 119).

X Secure the vehicle against rolling away by

applying the electric parking brake.

In order to signal a change of direction when

X Shift the automatic transmission to position

towing the vehicle with the hazard warning

lamps switched on, use the combination switch

as usual. In this case, only the turn signals for

X Turn the key to key position u in the ignition

the desired direction flash. When you reset the

lock and remove it.

combination switch, the hazard warning lamps

X Secure the vehicle.

start flashing again.

Securing the vehicle

! After loading, the vehicle must be secured at

all four wheels. Otherwise, the vehicle could

be damaged.

Fuses

364

A minimum distance of 20 cm upwards and

If the vehicle has transmission damage or dam-

10 cm downwards must be maintained to the

age to the front or rear axle, have it transported

transport platform.

on a transporter or trailer.

In the event of damage to the electrical sys-

X Secure all four wheels after loading the vehi-

tem: if the battery is defective, the automatic

cle.

transmission will be locked in position P. To shift

the automatic transmission to position N, you

Vehicles with ADS PLUS (Adaptive

must provide power to the vehicle's on-board

Damping System PLUS)

electrical system in the same way as when jump-

starting ( Y page 359).

Important safety note

Have the vehicle transported on a transporter or

G WARNING

trailer.

The lower damping forces of the vehicle to be

transported can cause the vehicle/trailer

Tow-starting (emergency engine

combination to swing.

starting)

As a result, when transporting vehicles with

! Do not tow-start vehicles with automatic

the Adaptive Damping System PLUS, the vehi-

transmission. You could otherwise damage

cle/trailer combination may start to skid.

the automatic transmission.

Consequently, you could lose control of your

You can find information on "Jump-starting"

vehicle.

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under ( Y page 359).

There is a risk of accident and injury.

When transporting, make sure that:

Fuses

R the vehicle has been loaded onto the trans-

porter correctly

Important safety notes

R the vehicle is secured at all four wheels with

G WARNING

suitable tensioning straps

R the maximum permissible speed of

If you manipulate, bridge or replace a faulty

60 km/h is not exceeded

fuse with a fuse of a higher amperage, the

electric cables could be overloaded. This may

Securing the vehicle

result in a fire. There is a risk of an accident

! After loading, the vehicle must be secured at

and injury.

all four wheels. Otherwise, the vehicle could

Always replace faulty fuses with specified new

be damaged.

fuses of the correct amperage.

A minimum distance of 20 cm upwards and

10 cm downwards must be maintained to the

! Only use fuses marked with an "S" for the

transport platform.

fuse box in the engine compartment and

X Secure all four wheels after loading the vehi-

under the rear bench seat. Components or

cle.

systems could otherwise be damaged.

! Make sure that no moisture can enter the

fuse box when the cover is open.

Information for 4MATIC vehicles

! When closing the cover, make sure that it is

lying correctly on the fuse box. Moisture seep-

! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed

ing in or dirt could otherwise impair the oper-

with the front or rear axle raised; otherwise,

ation of the fuses.

the transmission may be damaged.

The fuses in your vehicle disconnect faulty cir-

Vehicles with 4MATIC may either be towed away

cuits. If a fuse blows, all the components in the

with both axles on the ground or be loaded up

circuit and their functions will fail.

and transported.

Breakdown assistance -> Towing and tow-starting for Your Mercedes GLE SUV First Generation (2016-2019)

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