W213 All-Terrain tow bar switch light stays on

[Thriftwood]

Can someone who has W213 estate with the factory fitted electrically deploy-able tow bar please tell me if the light on the switch goes out when the tow bar is deployed?

The manual says the light should flash when deploying and then go off but mine stops flashing and stays on. There are no error messages on the dashboard and the tow bar seems to be locked in place. Having the light stay on seems like a good idea as you can tell easily from inside the car that the tow bar is extended but the manual says otherwise.

I’ve asked two dealers so far and neither can give me a definitive answer I'm understandably a bit reticent to actually tow anything until I know.

 

[Naraic]

The usual MB way is to have a red light on or off depending on the switch position...and in your case the red light will tell you the tow bar is deployed. Can't help further.

 

[Thriftwood]

Thank you - That seems perfectly logical to me. My confusion stemmed from the documentation saying the opposite and the dealers not knowing

 

[keefysher]

Which switch? The one in the drivers door or the tailgate?

Do you get a message and icon in the instrument panel when operating the tow bar switch?

On my GLE the switch in the boot lid flashes red as the tow bar deploys. The switch in the door doesn't. The dash has the message deploying or retracting.

Mine sometimes doesn't fully deploy or retract if Ive held onto the switch as opposed to just flicking it.

If the towbar has deployed correctly, it will be solid if you put your foot on it. Re-operate the switch/es and see what happens.

 

[Thriftwood]

Both switches show exactly the same at the same time on my car.
There is a message in the display saying that the tow bar is deploying and that message disappears when the bar is deployed/stored.
The tow bar seems solid and no error messages are left on display once it's deployed. The behavior is consistent regardless of how many times I do it.

The concern was that the status light on the switch is staying on which is the opposite of what is stated in the manual.

When your tow bar extends and locks correctly is the switch light on or off?

 

[keefysher]

Light is off when stowed/deployed.

My manual doesn't mention the light is illuminated, only that it flashes whilst deploying/stowing the tow bar. It does mention to only operate the switch once, not hold it. It takes up to 7 seconds to move in or out. If it detects an obstacle it will reverse.

Is your caravan easily accessible? Hitch it up, and connect the 13 pin plug, then slowly retract the jockey wheel till the load is off it and on the towbar. Wait a few minutes then lift the jockey wheel up. Then slowly move the car/caravan forward. If in a storage yard drive round. If its not solid you'll soon know!!! The stabiliser will make a noise!!

 

[Thriftwood]

OK thank you - My manual is quite specific about being not locked until the light goes out. (but possibly wrong ) so it may be a change in the S/W that they haven't caught up with.