Towbar- Still under warranty.

[xant14]

I am more than interested in getting a towbar for my 2015 CLS Shooting brake.
I have 8 months manufacturers warranty left so am not wanting to void that side of things.
At the moment it is more for transporting cycles on a towbar carrier, so could possibly get away without the electrics side of things for now, but would want it fully electric at a later stage.
I am assuming installing electrics would void warranty, but would mechanical fitting of towbar void it also?
Anyone any experience of this?
Thanks Rob

 

[BTB 500]

I think you should be OK on the warranty unless making a claim where the towbar or electrics could possibly have been a factor.

I assume you'd be completely covered if you had it done at a dealer using MB parts. But likely to be big money of course.

 

[219]

If it's a type approved towbar , which for newer cars all now have to be , then warranty shouldn't be affected .

Electrics just plug into the rear SAM so again shouldn't affect warranty . Even for cycle carriers , if lights or number plate are obscured you will need a trailer bar , and hence lighting electrics ( 12N UK socket ) at least .

You could always have the official MB towbar fitted , then no problem should arise , or have the OEM one ( usually ORIS ) fitted by a specialist .

 

[xant14]

If it's a type approved towbar , which for newer cars all now have to be , then warranty shouldn't be affected .

Electrics just plug into the rear SAM so again shouldn't affect warranty . Even for cycle carriers , if lights or number plate are obscured you will need a trailer bar , and hence lighting electrics ( 12N UK socket ) at least .

You could always have the official MB towbar fitted , then no problem should arise , or have the OEM one ( usually ORIS ) fitted by a specialist .

Apparently the car needs coding. Not too sure what this entails, turning off reverse sensors, foglight maybe.

 

[BTB 500]

Apparently the car needs coding. Not too sure what this entails, turning off reverse sensors, foglight maybe.

Possibly also reversing light(s), and changes to the ESP configuration (some MBs have a feature called "trailer stability control" or something like that).

 

[219]

The system should detect the loading of trailer lights on the circuit and disable those on the car . In days gone by , Hella made 12N sockets with a pin for the rear fog lamp in the car which routed the wiring for the car rear fog lamp through the socket and back into the car - when a trailer plug was plugged in this broke the connection and disabled the foglight on the car . These days it will be done electronically .

Caravan and trailer places will see multi-relays which can connect to can bus equipped cars , or to earlier ones with standard wiring , but there will be an 'official' MB electrical kit for your car and this , warranty wise , would be the safest option for you since if any problem arises due to using the official MB kit they can't blame anyone else .

If at some point you might tow a caravan , then it would be worth getting full electrics via the 14pin euro plug enabled .

A dealer , or a competent Indy with a Star machine will be able to code your car as required .

 

[Bluegnomes]

I had a towbar fitted to my S212 and in order for the car electrics not to throw a wobbly you need a Mercedes loom. When I spoke to a couple of towbar guys only one really knew what to do. No problem with the warranty.