trailer MERCEDES-BENZ GL 2010 User Guide

LevelRide heightOff-road
level 3+3.5 in (90 mm)Off-road
level 2+2.3 in (60 mm)Off-road
level 1+1.2 in (30 mm)Highway
level 13+/-0 in (0 mm)Highspeed
level-0.6 in (-15 mm)
i Vehicles with ADS:
Depending on the ADS setting
( Y page 159), the vehicle will be lowered to
the highspeed level when traveling at
higher speeds. At speeds below 40 mph
(64 km/h) at the latest, it will be returned
to the highway level.
i The highspeed level is not available when
towing a trailer. For more information on
towing a trailer, see “Trailer towing”
( Y page 269).
You can only select the off-road levels below
a certain speed. At higher speeds, the
message Level Selection Not
Permitted appears in the multifunction
display.
You can select
R Off-road level 1: selectable below 60 mph
(96 km/h)
R Off-road level 2: selectable below 40 mph
(64 km/h)
R Off-road level 3: selectable below 12 mph
(20 km/h)
Off-road levelsGWarning!
Vehicle off-road level 3 is not intended for use
on paved roads. This vehicle level is intended
for clearing impracticable situations at low
speed exclusively. The vehicle has a very high
center of gravity in off-road level 3. This
increases the overturning hazard.
R Select off-road level 3 exclusively for
clearing impracticable situations at low
speed.
R Adapt your driving style to the modified
conditions.
R Do not exceed a speed of 12 mph
(20 km/h).
R Avoid extreme, quick steering movements.
R Keep in mind the vehicle’s driving
characteristics are modified.
You should therefore drive in off-road level 3
with particular caution as it could otherwise
lead to an accident and/or serious injury to
you or others.
If you are driving too fast while using off-road
level 3, you will see the following message in
the multifunction display:
Reduce speed to under 12 MPH
( 20 km/h )
In addition, an acoustic signal sounds.
i This message cannot be deactivated.
For more information, see “Display
messages” ( Y page 302).
Only use off-road levels when necessary.
Otherwise the fuel consumption may
increase and/or the handling characteristics
of the vehicle may be unfavorable.
XStart the engine.XTurn outer adjustment ring : repeatedly
to position 2 until indicator lamps = of
the desired level flashes.13 Ground clearance: 8.5 in (217 mm)Driving systems163Controls in detailX164_AKB; 5; 31, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-09-11T12:30:16+02:00 - Seite 163Z

in the front bumper and four sensors in the
rear bumper.
To function properly, sensors : must be free
of dirt, ice, snow and slush. Clean
sensors : regularly. Be careful not to
scratch or damage sensors :, see “Cleaning
the driving systems sensors” (Y page 278).
GWarning!
The Parktronic is a supplemental system. It is
not intended to, nor does it replace, the need
for extreme care. The responsibility during
parking and other critical maneuvers always
remains with the driver.
GWarning!
Make sure no persons or animals are in or
near the area in which you are parking/
maneuvering. Otherwise, they could be
injured.
! Special attention must be paid to objects
with smooth surfaces or low silhouettes
(e.g. trailer couplings, painted posts,
elevated crossbars or road curbs). Such
objects may not be detected by the system
and can damage the vehicle.
During parking maneuvers, pay special
attention to objects located above or below
the height of the sensors (e.g. street curbs,
painted posts, or trailer hitches etc.). The
Parktronic system will not detect such
objects at close range and damage to your
vehicle or the object may result.
! Ultrasonic signals from outside sources
(e.g. truck air brakes, car wash, or
jackhammers) may impair the operation of
the Parktronic system.
Range of the sensors
Front sensors
Centerapprox. 40 in (100 cm)Cornersapprox. 24 in (60 cm)
Rear sensors
Centerapprox. 48 in (120 cm)Cornersapprox. 32 in (80 cm)
Minimum distance
Centerapprox. 8 in (20 cm)Cornersapprox. 6 in (15 cm)
If the Parktronic system detects an obstacle
in this range, all the distance warning
segments illuminate and you hear a warning
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Vehicle without enhanced off-road package
Vehicle with enhanced off-road package
XSwitching off: Press Parktronic
switch :.
Indicator lamp ; comes on.
XSwitching on: Press Parktronic switch :
again.
Trailer towing
The rear Parktronic sensors will be
deactivated when you have established the
electrical connection between your vehicle
and the trailer you are about to tow.
! The distance between the sensors in the
bumpers and an obstacle is referred to as
the minimum range of the Parktronic. A
trailer hitch will reduce the distance to an
obstacle. Keep this in mind to avoid any
damage.
Parktronic system malfunction
There is a malfunction in the Parktronic
system, if only the red distance segments
illuminate and an acoustic warning sounds.
The Parktronic system will switch off
automatically after 20 seconds and indicator
lamp ; in Parktronic switch : comes on.
XHave the Parktronic system checked at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon
as possible.
If only the red distance segments illuminate
and no acoustic warning sounds, the
Parktronic system sensors are dirty (e.g. dirt,
ice, snow and slush). Another cause could be
interference from other radio or ultrasonic
signals (e.g. truck air brakes, car wash, or
jackhammers). The Parktronic system will
switch off automatically after 20 seconds and
indicator lamp ; in Parktronic switch :
comes on.
XSwitch off the ignition.XClean the Parktronic system sensors
(Y page 278).
XSwitch on the ignition.
or
XCheck the Parktronic system operation at
another location to rule out interference
from outside radio or ultrasonic signals.
Rear view camera
The rear view camera is an optical parking aid.
The area behind the vehicle appears in the
COMAND system display as a mirror image,
like in the rear view mirror.
In addition, the rear view camera contains
guidelines to help you with driving in reverse.
GWarning!
Make sure no persons or animals are in or
near the area in which you are parking/
maneuvering. Otherwise, they could be
injured.
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GWarning!
Please note that objects which do not touch
the ground may appear to be further away
than they actually are, for example:
Rthe bumper of a vehicle parked behind you
Ra trailer hitch
Rthe back of a truck
In such cases, you should not use the
guidelines to judge the distance. You may
misjudge the distance which increases the
risk of impacting the objects.
Even when the object you approach is directly
on the ground do not approach the object any
closer than the red guideline.
Red guideline = indicates an approximate
distance of 10 in (0.25 m) from the rear of the
vehicle. Yellow guidelines ; indicate an
approximate distance of 3 ft (1 m) from the
rear of the vehicle. Blue guidelines :
indicate the approximate width required for
the vehicle.
iThe image from the rear view camera will
no longer be displayed if you select another
function on the COMAND system while
reverse gear R is engaged. To display the
image again, disengage and reengage
reverse gear R.
XSwitching off: Shift the automatic
transmission into park position P, neutral
position N, or drive position D.
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Example illustration: Tire inflation pressures for allapproved, factory equipped tires
When a tire size is specified, the tire inflation
pressure that follows applies to that
particular tire size only.
Example illustration: Tire inflation pressures forparticular tire sizes
Some tire inflation pressure labels may only
show the rim diameter instead of the entire
tire size, e.g. R 18 or 18".
The rim diameter is part of the tire size as
specified on the tire sidewall (Y page 251).
Example illustration: Tire inflation pressuresspecific to rim diameter
iWhen towing a trailer, inflate the tires to
the tire inflation pressure as specified for a
fully loaded vehicle.
Potential problems associated with
underinflated and overinflated tires
Underinflated tires
GWarning!
Follow recommended tire inflation pressures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear excessively and/or unevenly, adversely
affect handling and fuel economy, and are
more likely to fail from being overheated.
Underinflated tires can
Rcause excessive and uneven tire wear
Radversely affect fuel economy
Rlead to tire failure from being overheated
Radversely affect handling characteristics
Overinflated tires
GWarning!
Follow recommended tire inflation pressures.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires can
adversely affect handling and ride comfort,
wear unevenly, increase stopping distance,
and result in sudden deflation (blowout)
because they are more likely to become
punctured or damaged by road debris,
potholes etc.
Overinflated tires can
Radversely affect handling characteristics
Rcause uneven tire wear
Rbe more prone to damage from road
hazards
Radversely affect ride comfort
Rincrease stopping distance
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Loading Information placard with regards to
loading your vehicle.
Tire and Loading Information
GWarning!
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard on the
driver’s door B-pillar. Overloading the tires
can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout. Overloading the tires can also result
in handling or steering problems, or brake
failure.
Tire and Loading Information placard
iData shown on Tire and Loading
Information placard example are for
illustration purposes only. Load limit data
are specific to each vehicle and may vary
from data shown in the following
illustration. Refer to Tire and Loading
Information placard on vehicle for actual
data specific to your vehicle.
The Tire and Loading Information placard
showing load limit information : is located
on the driver’s door B-pillar (Y page 242).
XLocate the statement “The combined
weight of occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kilograms or XXX lbs.”
on the Tire and Loading Information
placard.
The combined weight of all occupants,
cargo/luggage and trailer tongue load (if
applicable) should never exceed the weight
referenced in that statement.
Seating capacity
iData shown on Tire and Loading
Information placard example are for
illustration purposes only. Seating capacity
data are specific to each vehicle and may
vary from data shown in the following
illustration. Refer to Tire and Loading
Information placard on vehicle for actual
data specific to your vehicle.
The seating capacity gives you important
information on the number of occupants that
can be in the vehicle. Observe front and rear
seating capacity. The Tire and Loading
Information placard showing seating
capacity : is located on the driver’s door
B-pillar (Y page 242).
Steps for determining correct load limit
The following steps have been developed as
required of all manufacturers under Title 49,
Code of U.S. Federal Regulations, Part 575
pursuant to the “National Traffic and Motor
Vehicle Safety Act of 1966”.
XStep 1: Locate the statement “The
combined weight of occupants and cargo
should never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs.”
on your vehicle’s Tire and Loading
Information placard.
XStep 2: Determine the combined weight of
the driver and passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.
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XStep 3: Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers from
XXX kilograms or XXX lbs.XStep 4: The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if the “XXX” amount
equals 1 400 lbs and there will be five
150 lbs passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and luggage load
capacity is 650 lbs
(1 400 - 750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs).XStep 5: Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely exceed
the available cargo and luggage load
capacity calculated in step 4.XStep 6 (if applicable): If your vehicle will
be towing a trailer, load from your trailer
will be transferred to your vehicle. Consult
this manual to determine how this reduces
the available cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle ( Y page 246).
The following table shows examples on how
to calculate total and cargo load capacities
with varying seating configurations and
number and size of occupants. The following
examples use a load limit of 1 500 lbs. This
is for illustration purposes only. Make sure
you are using the actual load limit for your
vehicle stated on the vehicle’s Tire and
Loading Information placard ( Y page 243).
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Example 1Example 2Example 3Step 1Combined weight limit
of occupants and cargo
from Tire and Loading
Information placard1 500 lbs1 500 lbs1 500 lbsExample 1Example 2Example 3Step 2Number of occupants
(driver and passengers)531Seating configurationfront: 2
rear: 3front: 1
rear: 2front: 1Occupants weightOccupant 1:
150 lbs
Occupant 2:
180 lbs
Occupant 3:
160 lbs
Occupant 4:
140 lbs
Occupant 5:
120 lbsOccupant 1:
200 lbs
Occupant 2:
190 lbs
Occupant 3:
150 lbsOccupant 1:
150 lbsCombined weight of all
occupants750 lbs540 lbs150 lbsExample 1Example 2Example 3Step 3Available cargo/
luggage and trailer
tongue weight (total
load limit from Tire and
Loading Information
placard minus
combined weight of all
occupants)1 500 lbs -
750 lbs =
750 lbs1 500 lbs -
540 lbs =
960 lbs1 500 lbs -
150 lbs =
1 350 lbsThe higher the weight of all occupants, the
less cargo and luggage load capacity is
available.
For more information, see “Trailer tongue
load” ( Y page 246).Certification label
Even after careful determination of the
combined weight of all occupants, cargo and
the trailer tongue load (if applicable)
( Y page 246) as to not exceed the
permissible load limit, you must make sure
your vehicle never exceeds the Gross Vehicle
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Weight Rating (GVWR) and the Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the front or
rear axle. You can obtain the GVWR and
GAWR from the certification label. The
certification label can be found on the driver’s
door B-pillar, see the “Technical data” section
(Y page 360).
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR): The
total weight of the vehicle, all occupants, all
cargo, and the trailer tongue load (if
applicable) must never exceed the GVWR.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR): The total
allowable weight that can be carried by a
single axle (front or rear).
To assure that your vehicle does not exceed
the maximum permissible weight limits
(GVWR and GAWR for front and rear axle),
have the loaded vehicle (including driver,
passengers and all cargo and, if applicable,
trailer fully loaded) weighed on a suitable
commercial scale.
Trailer tongue load
The tongue load of any trailer is an important
weight to measure because it affects the load
you can carry in your vehicle. If a trailer is
towed, the tongue load must be added to the
weight of all occupants riding and any cargo
you are carrying in the vehicle. The tongue
load typically is between 8% and 15% of the
trailer weight and everything loaded in it.
Maximum tire load
GWarning!
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard on the
driver’s door B-pillar. Overloading the tires
can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout. Overloading the tires can also result
in handling or steering problems, or brake
failure.
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual data
on tires are specific to each vehicle and
may vary from data shown in above
illustration.
The maximum tire load rating : is the
maximum weight the tires are designed to
support.
For more information on tire load rating, see
(Y page 251).
For information on calculating total and cargo
load capacities, see (Y page 243).
Direction of rotation
Unidirectional tires offer added advantages,
such as better hydroplaning performance. To
benefit, however, you must make sure the
tires rotate in the direction specified.
An arrow on the sidewall indicates the
intended direction of rotation of the tire.
Spare wheels may be mounted against the
direction of rotation (spinning) even with a
unidirectional tire for temporary use only until
the regular drive wheel has been repaired or
replaced. Always observe and follow
applicable temporary use restrictions and
speed limitations indicated on the spare
wheel.
MOExtended system
The MOExtended system allows you to
continue driving your vehicle even if there is
a total loss of pressure in one or more tires.
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radio, and heater, to the extent that these
items are available as factory-installed
equipment (whether installed or not).
Air pressure
The amount of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of the tire. Air
pressure is expressed in pounds per square
inch (psi), kilopascal (kPa), or bar.
Aspect ratio
Dimensional relationship between tire
section height and section width expressed
in percentage.
Bar
Metric unit for air pressure. There are
14.5038 pounds per square inch (psi) to
1 bar; there are 100 kilopascals (kPa) to 1 bar.
Bead
The tire bead contains steel wires wrapped by
steel cords that hold the tire onto the rim.
Cold tire inflation pressure
Tire inflation pressure when your vehicle has
been sitting for at least 3 hours or driven no
more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Curb weight
The weight of a motor vehicle with standard
equipment including the maximum capacity
of fuel, oil, and coolant, and, if so equipped,
air conditioning and additional optional
equipment, but without passengers and
cargo.
DOT (Department of Transportation)
A tire branding symbol which denotes the tire
meets requirements of the U.S. Department
of Transportation.
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)
The GAWR is the maximum permissible axle
weight. The gross vehicle weight on each axle
must never exceed the GAWR for the front
and rear axle indicated on the certification
label located on the driver’s door B-pillar.
GTW (Gross Trailer Weight)
The GTW is the weight of the trailer plus the
weight of all cargo, equipment, luggage etc.
loaded on the trailer.
GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)
The GVW comprises the weight of the vehicle
including fuel, tools, spare wheel, installed
accessories, passengers and cargo and, if
applicable, trailer tongue load. The GVW must
never exceed the GVWR indicated on the
certification label located on the driver’s door
B-pillar.
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)
This is the maximum permissible vehicle
weight of the fully loaded vehicle (weight of
the vehicle including all options, passengers,
fuel, and cargo and, if applicable, trailer
tongue load). It is indicated on the
certification label located on the driver’s door
B-pillar.
Kilopascal (kPa)
Metric unit for air pressure. There are 6.9 kPa
to 1 psi; another metric unit for air pressure
is bar. There are 100 kilopascals (kPa) to
1 bar.
Load index
Numerical code associated with the
maximum load a tire can support.
Maximum load rating
The maximum load in kilograms and pounds
that can be carried by the tire.
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