MERCEDES-BENZ GL550 2008 X164 Owner's Manual

430 Operation
Vehicle care
Cleaning the Distronic* system sensor
cover
1Distronic* system sensor cover
Switch off the ignition (page 42).
Use a mild car wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Sham-
poo, with plenty of water and a
non-scratching cloth to clean sensor
cover1.
Restart the engine after cleaning sen-
sor cover1.
Cleaning the Parktronic* system
sensors
1Parktronic* system sensors in front
bumper
Use a mild car wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Sham-
poo, with plenty of water and a soft,
non-scratching cloth to clean
sensors1 on the bumpers.
!To prevent scratches or damage, never
apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratchy cloth when cleaning the sensor
cover1. Do not attempt to wipe dirty sensors
with a dry cloth or sponge.
!Do not apply strong pressure to the sensor
covers. Applying strong pressure may damage
the sensor covers.
Follow the instructions provided by the power
washer manufacturer on maintaining a distance
between the vehicle and the nozzle of the power
washer.
!To prevent scratches, never apply strong
force and only use a soft, non-scratching cloth
when cleaning the sensors. Do not attempt to
wipe dirty sensors with a dry cloth or sponge.
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431 Operation
Vehicle care
Cleaning the Rear View Camera lens*
1Camera lens
Only use clean water and a soft,
non-scratching cloth to clean the
camera lens1.
Be careful not to apply wax to camera
lens1 when waxing the vehicle. If
necessary, remove the wax using the
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Shampoo
with plenty of water.Cleaning the windows and the wiper
blades
Fold the wiper arms forward until they
engage.
Clean the wiper blade inserts with a
clean cloth and detergent solution.
!Do not clean the camera and the area
around the camera:

with a high-pressure cleaner

with a dry cloth and high pressure

with aggressive cleaning agents
You could otherwise damage the camera.
Warning!G
For safety reasons, switch off wipers and re-
move SmartKey from starter switch
(vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*: Make sure the
vehicle’s on-board electronics have
status
0) before cleaning the windshield
and/or the wiper blades. Otherwise, the
wiper motor could suddenly turn on and
cause injury.
!Do not pull on the wiper blade inserts. They
could tear.

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432 Operation
Vehicle care
Use a soft, clean cloth and a mild win-
dow cleaning solution on all outside
and inside glass surfaces.
An automotive glass cleaner is recom-
mended.Light alloy wheels
If possible, clean wheels once a week.
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel
Care, a soft bristle brush and a strong
spray of water for cleaning the light al-
loy wheels.Plastic and rubber parts
Use a gentle dishwashing detergent or
mild detergent for delicate fabrics as a
washing solution.
Wipe with a cloth moistened in a
lukewarm solution.
The surface may temporarily change
color. If this is the case, wait for it to
dry.
!Fold the windshield wiper arms back onto
the windshield before turning the SmartKey in
the starter switch or pressing the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button (vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*).
Hold on to the wiper when folding the wiper arm
back. If released, the force of the impact from
the tensioning spring could crack the windshield.
!To clean the window interior, do not use a
dry cloth, abrasives, solvents or cleaners con-
taining solvents. Do not touch the inside of the
front, rear or side windows and the power
tilt/sliding sunroof* or rear panorama roof with
hard objects such as an ice scraper or ring.
Doing so may damage the windows.
!Only use acid-free cleaning materials. Acid
may cause corrosion or damage the clear coat.
!The vehicle should not be parked for an ex-
tended period of time immediately after it has
been cleaned, especially not after the wheel rims
have been cleaned with wheel rim cleaner.
Wheel rim cleaners can lead to increased
corrosion of the brake disks and brake pads.
Non-approved wheel cleaners may also damage
the wheel paint if the car is not driven after
cleaning. Therefore, the vehicle’s brake system
should always be warmed-up before it is parked
after cleaning. To do so, please drive your vehicle
for several minutes to allow the brakes to dry.
When applying Mercedes-Benz approved Tire
Care and Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel Care
products, take care not to spray them on the
brake disks.
Warning!G
Do not use cleaners or cockpit care sprays
containing solvents to clean the cockpit or
the steering wheel. Cleaners containing sol-
vents will make the surface porous and vehi-
cle occupants could suffer serious injuries
from plastic parts coming loose in the event
of air bag deployment.

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433 Operation
Vehicle care
Hard plastic trim items
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Interior
Care, a soft, lint-free cloth and apply
with light pressure.Steering wheel
Wipe with a damp cloth and dry thor-
oughly or clean with Mercedes-Benz
approved Leather Care.
Carpets
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Carpet
and Fabric Care for cleaning the car-
pets.
Headliner
Use a soft bristle brush or a
dry-shampoo cleaner in case of
excessive dirt.Seat belts
Only use clear, lukewarm water and
soap.
!Do not use oil, wax or scouring agents on
these parts.
Never apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the surface.
Do not attempt to wipe the surface with a dry
cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the
surface.
!Never apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the surface.
Do not attempt to wipe the surface with a dry
cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the
surface.
!The seat belts must not be treated with
chemical cleaning agents. Do not dry the seat
belts at temperatures above 176°F (80°C) or in
direct sunlight.
Warning!G
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
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434 Operation
Vehicle care
Upholstery
Using aftermarket seat covers or wearing
clothing that have the tendency to give off
coloring (e.g. when wet, etc.) may cause
the upholstery to become permanently dis-
colored. By lining the seats with a proper
intermediate cover, contact-discoloration
will be prevented.Leather upholstery*
Please not that leather upholstery is a
natural product and is therefore subject to
a natural aging process. Leather
upholstery may also react to certain
ambient influences such as high humidity
or high temperature by showing wrinkles
for example.
Wipe leather upholstery with a damp
cloth and dry thoroughly or clean with
Mercedes-Benz approved Leather
Care.MB Tex upholstery
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Interior
Care onto a soft, lint-free cloth and
apply with light pressure for cleaning
the upholstery.
Wood trims
Dampen cloth using water and use
damp cloth to clean wood trims in your
vehicle.
Warning!G
Only use seat or head restraint covers which
have been tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle model.
Using other seat or head restraint covers
may interfere with or prevent

deployment of the front side impact air
bags

deployment of the rear side impact air
bags*

activation of the active head restraints
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center for availability.
!To avoid damage to leather upholstery:

Wipe with light pressure only.

Do not clean with abrasive cleaning agents
such as scouring milk or powder.

Do not soak the leather upholstery.
As leather is a natural product, it could
otherwise harden or become porous.

Exercise particular care when cleaning
perforated leather as its underside should
not become wet.
!Do not use solvents like tar remover or
wheel cleaner nor polishes or waxes as these
may be abrasive.
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435 Practical hints
What to do if …
Where will I find ...?
Unlocking/locking in an emergency
Resetting activated head restraints
Replacing SmartKey batteries
Replacing bulbs
Replacing wiper blades
Flat tire
Bleeding the fuel system
(diesel engine only)
Battery
Jump starting
Towing the vehicle
Fuses
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436 Practical hints
What to do if …
Lamps in instrument clusterGeneral information:
If any of the following lamps in the instru-
ment cluster fails to come on during thebulb self-check when switching on the
ignition, have the respective bulb checked
and replaced if necessary.
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
-The yellow ABS indicator lamp
comes on while the engine is
running.ABS has detected a malfunction and has
switched off. The BAS, ESP®, EBP, and 4-ETS
are also switched off (see messages in multi-
function display).
The brake system is still functioning normally
but without the ABS available.
If the ABS control unit is malfunctioning,
other systems such as the navigation
system* or the automatic transmission may
also be malfunctioning.
Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels may lock during hard braking,
reducing steering capability.
Read and observe messages in the
multifunction display (
page 449).
Have the system checked at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions
increases the risk of an accident.
The charging voltage has fallen below
10 volts. The ABS has switched off.
The battery might not be charged sufficiently.When the voltage is above this value
again, the ABS is operational again and
the ABS indicator lamp should go out.
If the ABS indicator lamp does not go out:
Have the generator (alternator) and
the battery checked.
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437 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/conse-
quenceSuggested solution
-The yellow ABS indicator lamp comes on while
the engine is running.The self-diagnosis has not yet
been completed yet.The display will clear after driving a short
distance at a vehicle speed of above
12 mph (20 km/h).
;(USA only)
3(Canada only)
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving and an
acoustic warning sounds.You are driving with the
parking brake set.Release the parking brake
(
page 59).
There is insufficient brake fluid
in the reservoir.Risk of accident! Carefully stop the
vehicle in a safe location or as soon as
it is safe to do so.
Apply the parking brake (page 67).
Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Do not add brake fluid! This will not
solve the problem.
Warning!G
Driving with the brake warning lamp illumi-
nated can result in an accident. Have your
brake system checked immediately if the
brake warning lamp stays on.
Do not add brake fluid before checking the
brake system. Overfilling the brake fluid res-
ervoir can result in spilling brake fluid on hot
engine parts and the brake fluid catching
fire. You can be seriously burned.!If you find that the brake fluid in the brake
fluid reservoir has fallen to the minimum mark or
below, have the brake system checked for brake
pad thickness and leaks.
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438 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/conse-
quenceSuggested solution
;(USA only)
3(Canada only)
-
v
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving. In
addition, the yellow ABS mal-
function indicator lamp, and
the yellow ESP
® warning lamp
come on and an acoustic warn-
ing sounds.
The Electronic Brake Propor-
tioning (EBP) has switched off
due to a malfunction.
The ABS, the BAS, and the
ESP
® are also switched off.
Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions
increases the risk of an accident.
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439 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
?(USA only)
±(Canada only)
The yellow engine malfunc-
tion indicator lamp comes
on while driving.There is a malfunction in:

The fuel management
system

The ignition system

The emission control system

Systems which affect
emissions
Such malfunctions may result in
excessive emissions values and
may switch the engine to its
limp-home (emergency opera-
tion) mode.
Have the vehicle checked as soon as
possible by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
An on-board diagnostic connector is
used by the service station to link the
vehicle to the shop diagnostics system.
It allows the accurate identification of
system malfunctions through the read-
out of diagnostic trouble codes. It is lo-
cated in the front left area of the
footwell next to the parking brake pedal.
iSome states may by law require you to visit
a workshop as soon as the engine malfunction
indicator lamp comes on. Check local require-
ments.
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