Tow Starting/Towing
Preparation
Both Drivers Must Be Familiar With Towing Procedures. Inexperienced Drivers Should Not Attempt To Tow Start Or Tow.
Using a tow bar is preferred.
If using a towing cable: the cable should be elastic so that both vehicles are protected. Therefore only ropes of synthetic material or rope from similarly flexible material should be used.
Tow-cable or bars should be attached at above mentioned points only.
While Towing
Both Vehicles Must Have The Emergency Flasher Switched On - If Necessary Observe Any Other Regulations.
The ignition must be switched on, so that the steering wheel is not locked and the turn signals, horn, windshield wipers, and windshield washer system can be operated.
Vehicle systems such as steering or the brakes are much harder to move when the engine is not running.
Avoid excessive towing effort and do not jerk. Otherwise the fasteners may get overloaded and damaged.
Installing The Towing Eyes
If The Towing Eye Is Not Installed As Far As The Stop, The Threads May Shear Off When Towing.
The Tire Bolt Wrench And Towing Eye Are With The Vehicle Tools.
The covers are different for each version.
Installing The Front Towing Eye
-- Pry out the cover from the bottom.
-- Install the towing eye all the way into the threaded hole.
-- When done, remove the towing eye and place it back in the vehicle tools.
Installing The Rear Towing Eye
Vehicles Equipped With A Factory-Installed Trailer Hitch Do Not Have Threaded Connection For The Towing Eye. In This Case, Attach The Cable / Bar To The Trailer Hitch.
-- Pry out the cover from the bottom.
-- Install the towing eye all the way into the threaded hole.
-- When done, remove the towing eye and place it back in the vehicle tools.
Tow-Start
Vehicle Towing Should Only Be Done If It Is Not Possible To Start The Engine With The Starting Assist Cable.
During tow starting, the risk of an accident occurring is high, e.g. driving into vehicle towing.
Tow starting of vehicles with automatic transmission is not possible for technical reasons.
Vehicles with a catalytic converter: do not tow-start the vehicle longer than 50 meters when the catalytic converter is warm. Otherwise, the vehicle could be damaged by unburned fuel entering the catalytic converter.
-- Before tow starting, push in clutch pedal and hold, and select gear 2 or 3.
-- Turn on the ignition.
-- When both vehicles are in motion, release the clutch pedal.
-- As soon as the engine is started, push in the clutch and take the car out of gear to avoid running into the towing vehicle.
Towing
Legal Regulations Concerning Towing Must Be Observed.
The driver in the vehicle doing the pulling must use the clutch very gently when driving off and when shifting.
The driver of the vehicle being towed must ensure that the tow rope is always taut.
Without lubricants in the manual transmission and/or automatic transmissions the car may only be towed with raised drive wheels. With engine switched off, the transmission oil pump does not work. Therefore the transmission is not sufficiently lubricated at higher speeds and longer distances.
If normal towing of the vehicle is not possible, the vehicle must be transported with a special transporter or trailer. This also applies to towing distances of over 30 miles (50 km).
Towing Vehicles With An Automatic Transmission
Selector Lever Must Be In The "N" Position.
For longer distances, the front end of the vehicle must be raised.
Pressure Loss In The Air Spring Dampers
If Air Suspension Shock Absorbers In One Axle Lose Pressure Completely, The Vehicle Does Not Have Enough Ground Clearance. The Vehicle Must Not Be Moved In This Condition. Use Suspension Blocks When, For Example, The Vehicle Must Be Driven On An Auto Transporter Or Onto The Hoist.
The vehicle cannot be towed when suspensions blocks are installed.