2006 Mercedes E-Class Owner's Manual - Page 459

Practical hints Towing the vehicle ! To be certain to avoid a possibility of damage to the drivetrain, however, we recommend the drive shaft be disconnected at the rear axle drive flange (vehicles with 4MATIC: disconnected at the front and rear axle drive flanges) for any towing beyond a short tow to a nearby garage. Warning! G Warning! G If circumstances require towing the vehicle with all wheels on the ground, always tow with a tow bar if: the engine will not run there is a malfunction in the electrohydraulic brake system there is a malfunction in the power supply or in the vehicle's electrical system as that will be necessary to adequately control the towed vehicle. Prior to towing the vehicle with all wheels on the ground, make certain the SmartKey is in starter switch position 2. If the SmartKey is left in the starter switch position 0 for an extended period of time, it can no longer be turned in the switch. In this case, the steering is locked. To unlock, remove SmartKey from starter switch and reinsert. The brake system requires electrical power to operate. A malfunction in the vehicle's power supply or electrical system may impair brake system operation and switch it into its emergency operation mode. To brake, the driver must then apply significantly greater brake pedal pressure and depress the pedal much further to obtain the expected braking effect. If necessary, apply full pressure to the brake pedal. Brakes may only be applied to the front wheels. Stopping distance is increased! Adapt your driving style accordingly. For more information, refer to "Electrohydraulic brake system" ( page 97). With the engine not running, there is no power assistance for the steering system. In this case, it is important to keep in mind that a considerably higher degree of effort is necessary to steer the vehicle. Adapt your driving accordingly. 458