wheel MERCEDES-BENZ GL 2011 Manual PDF

Driving systems
Cruise control
Important safety notes
Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding the set speed. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden or towing a trailer, you must
select shift range 1, 2 or 3 in good time. By
doing so, you will make use of the braking
effect of the engine, which relieves the load
on the brake system and prevents the brakes
from overheating and wearing too quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic
conditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can
store any road speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h).
GWarning
The cruise control is a convenience system
designed to assist the driver during vehicle
operation. The driver is and must always
remain responsible for the vehicle's speed
and for safe brake operation.
Only use the cruise control if the road, traffic,
and weather conditions make it advisable to
travel at a constant speed.
R The use of the cruise control can be
dangerous on winding roads or in heavy
traffic because conditions do not allow safe
driving at a constant speed.
R The use of the cruise control can be
dangerous on slippery roads. Rapid
changes in tire traction can result in wheel
spin and loss of control.
R Deactivate the cruise control when driving
in fog.
The "Resume" function should only be
operated if the driver is fully aware of the
previously set speed and wishes to resume
this particular preset speed.
GWarning
When cruise control brakes, the brake pedal
is pulled back (i.e. operated automatically).
The area around the pedal must not be
blocked by obstacles:
R Do not place any objects in the footwell.
R Ensure that floormats and carpets are fixed
securely. In particular, do not place several
floormats on top of one another.
R Do not place your foot under the brake
pedal, as it could become trapped.
Non-compliance could lead you to cause an
accident in which you and/or others could be
seriously injured.
i Cruise control should not be activated
during off-road driving.
Cruise control lever
:To store the current speed or a higher
speed;To store the current speed or a lower
speed=To deactivate cruise control?To store the current speed or to call up
the last stored speed
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the status indicator of the
multifunction display:
R USA only: e.g. CRUISE 55 Miles
R Canada only: e.g. ¯90 Km/h
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the speed range between 0 mph (0 km/h) and
120 mph (200 km/h).
Do not use DISTRONIC while driving on roads
with steep gradients.GWarning
DISTRONIC distance control is not a
substitute for the driver's active involvement.
It does not react to pedestrians or stationary
objects and cannot detect or predict the
road's course and the movements of the
vehicles in front.
DISTRONIC can only brake using 40% of the
vehicle's maximum possible braking force.
The driver must always pay attention to road,
weather and traffic conditions. He must steer,
brake and drive the vehicle so that he
maintains control over it.
High-frequency sources such as toll stations,
velocity measurement systems, etc. may
cause DISTRONIC to malfunction.
GWarning!
The Distronic cannot take road and traffic
conditions into account. Only use the
Distronic if the road, weather and traffic
conditions make it advisable to travel at a
constant speed.
GWarning!
Use of the Distronic can be dangerous on
slippery roads. Rapid changes in tire traction
can result in wheel spin and loss of control.
The Distronic does not function in adverse
sight and distance conditions. Do not use the
Distronic during conditions of fog, heavy rain,
snow or sleet.
GWarning!
The Distronic cannot take weather conditions
into account. Switch off the Distronic or do
not switch it on if:
R roads are slippery or covered with snow or
ice. The wheels could lose traction while
braking or accelerating, and the vehicle
could skid.
R the Distronic system sensor cover is dirty
or visibility is diminished due to snow, rain
or fog, for example. The distance control
system functionality could be impaired.
Always pay attention to surrounding traffic
conditions even while the Distronic is
switched on. Otherwise, you may not be able
to recognize dangerous situations until it is
too late. This could cause an accident in which
you and/or others could be injured.GWarning!
The "Resume" function should only be
operated if the driver is fully aware of the
previously set speed and wishes to resume
this particular preset speed.
GWarning!
Close attention to road and traffic conditions
is imperative at all times, regardless of
whether or not the Distronic is activated.
Use of the Distronic can be dangerous on
winding roads or in heavy traffic because
conditions do not allow safe driving at a
constant speed.
The Distronic will not react to stationary
objects in the roadway (e.g. a stopped vehicle
in a traffic jam or a disabled vehicle). The
Distronic will also not respond to oncoming
vehicles.
Switch off the Distronic
R when changing from the left to the right
lane if vehicles are moving more slowly in
the left lane
R when entering a turn lane or highway off
ramp
R in complex driving situations, such as in
highway construction zones
In these situations, the Distronic will continue
to maintain the set speed unless deactivated.
The Distronic is designed and intended only
to maintain a set speed and keep a set
distance from moving objects in front of it.
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iUSA only:
This device has been approved by the FCC
as a "Vehicular Radar System". The radar
sensor is intended for use in an automotive
radar system only. Removing, tampering
with, or altering the device will void any
warranties, and is forbidden by the FCC. Do
not tamper with, alter or use in any non-
approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device may invalidate the vehicle's general
operating permit.
Cruise control lever:To store the current speed or a higher
speed;To store the current speed or a lower
speed=To deactivate DISTRONIC?To store the current speed or to call up
the last stored speed
Activating DISTRONIC, storing and
maintaining the current speed
GWarning!
The vehicle can be braked when DISTRONIC
is activated. For this reason, deactivate
DISTRONIC if the vehicle is to be set in motion
by other means (e.g. in a car wash or by
towing).
You can activate DISTRONIC in the following
circumstances:
R if the engine has been started and you have
been driving for up to two minutes
R while driving, except if you brake
R if the parking brake is not applied
R if ESP ®
is activated
R if the transmission is in position D
Activating while driving
When driving at speeds below 20 mph
(30 km/h) , you can only activate DISTRONIC
PLUS if the vehicle in front has been detected
and is shown in the multifunction display. If
the vehicle in front is not shown in the
multifunction display and is no longer being
detected, because it has changed lanes, for
example, DISTRONIC is deactivated and you
hear a warning tone.XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ? or press it up : or down ; to the
pressure point.
DISTRONIC is activated.XKeep the cruise control lever pressed
up : or down ; until the desired speed
is set.XRemove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to that of the
vehicle in front, but only up to the desired
stored speed.
i You can use the cruise control lever to set
the stored speed and the thumbwheel on
the cruise control lever to set the specified
minimum distance ( Y page 185).
i If you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DISTRONIC Override message
appears in the multifunction display. The
set distance to a slower-moving vehicle in
front will then not be maintained. You will
be driving at the speed you determine by
the position of the accelerator pedal.
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Driving
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
operates in the same way as cruise control.
If a slower-moving vehicle is detected in front,
DISTRONIC causes your vehicle to brake and
maintain the preset distance to the vehicle in
front.
If DISTRONIC detects a faster-moving vehicle
in front, it increases the driving speed, but
only up to the desired speed you have stored.GWarning!
If you depress the brake pedal, DISTRONIC is
deactivated. DISTRONIC will then no longer
brake your vehicle. In such cases, control the
distance from vehicles traveling in front with
the brake alone. You could otherwise cause
an accident and thereby injure yourself and
others. The driver remains fully responsible
for the vehicle's distance from other vehicles,
the speed being driven and for braking in good
time.
Stopping
GWarning!
DISTRONIC must never be operated,
activated or deactivated by a passenger or
from outside the vehicle.
If DISTRONIC detects that the vehicle in front
is stopping, it brakes your vehicle until it is
stationary.
i Depending on the specified minimum
distance, your vehicle will come to a
standstill at a sufficient distance behind the
vehicle in front. The specified minimum
distance is set using the thumbwheel on
the cruise-control lever.
DISTRONIC is deactivated automatically
when stopping:
R on flat stretches of road or on downhill
gradients when the vehicle is stationary
R while the vehicle is still moving on uphill
gradients, to prevent the vehicle from
unexpectedly rolling back when
DISTRONIC is deactivated
If DISTRONIC is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone.XTo prevent the vehicle from rolling away,
apply the foot brake or parking brake.
Setting a speed
GWarning
Keep in mind that it may take a brief moment
until the vehicle has made the necessary
adjustments.
Increase or decrease the set vehicle speed to
a value that the prevailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Otherwise, sudden
and unexpected acceleration or deceleration
of the vehicle could cause an accident and/
or serious injury to you and others.
XPress the cruise control lever to the
pressure point, up : for a higher speed or
down ; for a lower speed.XKeep the cruise control lever pressed until
the desired speed is reached.XRelease the cruise control lever.
The new speed is stored. DISTRONIC is
activated and adjusts the vehicle's speed
to the new speed stored.
Setting in 1 mph (Canada: 1 km/h)
increments
XBriefly press the cruise control lever to the
pressure point, up : for a higher speed or
down ; for a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or
reduced.
Setting in 5 mph (Canada: 10 km/h)
increments
XBriefly press the cruise control lever
beyond the pressure point, up : for a
higher speed or down ; for a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or
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Storing the current speed or calling up
the last speed storedGWarning
The set speed stored in memory should only
be set again if prevailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Possible
acceleration or deceleration differences
arising from returning to the preset speed
could cause an accident and/or serious injury
to you and others.
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.XRemove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
DISTRONIC is activated and accepts the
current speed if it is activated for the first
time, or adjusts the vehicle's speed to the
last speed stored.
Setting the specified minimum distance
You can set the specified minimum distance
for DISTRONIC by varying the time span
between one and two seconds. This time span
determines the distance that DISTRONIC
should maintain from the vehicle in front,
depending on the road speed. You can see
this distance in the multifunction display
( Y page 186).
GWarning!
It is up to the driver to exercise discretion to
select the appropriate setting given road
conditions, traffic, driver's preferred driving
style and applicable laws and driving
recommendations for safe following distance.
XTo increase: turn thumbwheel ; towards
= .
DISTRONIC then maintains a greater
distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front.XTo decrease: turn thumbwheel ;
towards :.
DISTRONIC then maintains a shorter
distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front.
i Make sure that you maintain the
minimum distance to the vehicle in front as
required by law. Adjust the distance to the
vehicle in front if necessary.
DISTRONIC displays in the
speedometer
When DISTRONIC is activated, one or
two segments in the set speed range light up.
i For design reasons, the speed displayed
in the speedometer may differ slightly from
the speed set for DISTRONIC.
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Crossing vehicles
DISTRONIC may detect vehicles that are
crossing your lane by mistake. Activating
DISTRONIC at, for example, a traffic light with
crossing traffic, could cause your vehicle to
pull away at the wrong time.
Level control
Important safety guidelines
Level control automatically adapts the vehicle
level to the current operating and driving
situation. This results in reduced fuel
consumption and improved handling.
Vehicles with ADS: when you are driving in
ADS COMF or ADS AUTO(Y page 194), the
vehicle is automatically lowered to high-
speed level as the speed increases. As the
vehicle speed decreases, the vehicle is raised
back up to highway level. In ADS
SPORT(Y page 194), the vehicle skips
highway level and is lowered directly to high-
speed level.
Make changes to the vehicle level while the
vehicle is in motion. This enables the vehicle
to adjust to the new level as quickly as
possible.
The vehicle level may change visibly if you
park the vehicle and the outside temperature
changes. If the temperature drops, the
vehicle level is lower; with an increase in
temperature, the vehicle level rises.
When you unlock the vehicle or open a door,
the vehicle begins to balance the load
discrepancies while still parked. However, for
significant level changes, e.g. after the
vehicle has been stationary for a long period,
the engine must be on. For safety reasons,
the vehicle is only lowered when the doors are
closed. Lowering is interrupted if a door is
opened, and it continues once the door has
been closed.
GWarning!
Make sure that nobody is in the vicinity of the
wheel arch or the underbody when changing
the vehicle level. You could otherwise trap
yourself or others.
GWarning!
Always select as low a vehicle level as
possible. If the vehicle level is high, the vehicle
center of gravity shifts upwards. This
increases the risk of the vehicle tipping over.
Adapt your driving style to suit the vehicle
level. ESP® cannot reduce the risk of an
accident if you drive too fast. ESP® cannot
override the laws of physics.
! When driving on extremely rough terrain,
select a high vehicle level in good time.
Make sure that there is always sufficient
ground clearance to prevent damage to the
vehicle.
! Remove the key from the ignition before
raising one or more wheels with the
appropriate equipment.
Information on "Off-road driving"; see
(Y page 173).
Vehicles without the extended Off-Road
Pro engineering package
Basic setting
The extent to which the vehicle is raised or
lowered depends on the basic setting
selected.
Select:
RRaised level for off-road driving
RHighway/high-speed level for normal roads
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The individual vehicle levels differ from
highway level as follows:
R +2.3 in (+ 60 mm) in raised level
R +/–0 in (+/–0 mm) in highway level 26
R –0.6 in (–15 mm) in high-speed level
Raised level
Only select raised level if this is appropriate
for the road conditions. Otherwise, fuel
consumption increases and handling may be
affected.
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the key from the ignition lock.XStart the engine.
If indicator lamp ; is not lit:
XPress button :.
The vehicle rises to raised level.
While the adjustment is taking place, a
message appears in the multifunction
display, e.g.:
If you press the V, U , & or *
button on the multifunction steering wheel,
the message will disappear.
Once the raised level has been reached, you
will see a message in the multifunction
display, for example:
If you have not previously selected the off-
road menu ( Y page 220) in the on-board
computer, the message disappears after
about five seconds.
Highway/high-speed level
! Make sure that there is enough ground
clearance when the vehicle is being
lowered. It could otherwise hit the ground,
damaging the underbody.
XStart the engine.
If indicator lamp ; is lit:
XPress button :.
The vehicle adjusts to highway level.
While the adjustment is taking place, a
message appears in the multifunction
display, e.g.:
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If you press the V, U , & or *
button on the multifunction steering wheel,
the message will disappear.
Once highway level has been reached, all
indicator lamps = go out. You will see a
message in the multifunction display, for
example:
If you have not previously selected the off-
road menu ( Y page 220) in the on-board
computer, the message disappears after
about five seconds.
The vehicle automatically selects highway
level if you are driving faster than 55 mph
(88 km/h). Depending on the ADS setting,
the vehicle is lowered to high-speed level at
speeds higher than this.
i If you are towing a trailer, the vehicle is
not lowered to high-speed level.
Vehicles with the extended Off-Road
Pro engineering package
Basic settings
The extent to which the vehicle is raised or
lowered depends on the basic setting
selected.
Select:
R Off-road level 3 for freeing the vehicle in
impassable terrain at low speeds only
R Off-road level 2 for driving on normal off-
road terrain
R Off-road level 1 for driving on easily
negotiable off-road terrain
R Highway/high-speed level for normal roads
The individual vehicle levels differ from
highway level as follows:
R +3.5 in (+ 90 mm) in off-road level 3
R +2.3 in (+ 60 mm) in off-road level 2
R +1.2 in (+ 30 mm) in off-road level 1
R +/–0 in (+/–0 mm) in highway level
R –0.6 in (–15 mm) in high-speed level
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 in off-road level 3,
the Reduce speed to under 12 mph
( 20 Km/h ) message appears in the
multifunction display. You also hear a
warning. The vehicle is lowered.
i You cannot clear these messages.
Only select an off-road level when this is
appropriate for road conditions. Otherwise,
fuel consumption increases and handling may
be affected.
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the key from the ignition lock.
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XStart the engine.XTurn the selector wheel clockwise :.
The vehicle is raised.
or
XTurn the selector wheel counter-
clockwise ; .
The vehicle is lowered.
Indicator lamps = for the desired off-road
level flash:
R Off-road level 1: the lower indicator lamp
flashes
R Off-road level 2: the lower and center
indicator lamps flash
R Off-road level 3: all three indicator lamps
flash
The vehicle adjusts to the off-road level
selected. As soon as an off-road level is
reached, the corresponding indicator lamp
stops flashing and lights up constantly.
While the adjustment is taking place, a
message appears in the multifunction
display, e.g.:
The vehicle rises from off-road level 1 to off-
road level 2.
If you press the V, U , & or *
button on the multifunction steering wheel,
the message will disappear.
Once off-road level 2 has been reached, you
will see a message in the multifunction
display, for example:
Lower and center indicator lamps = are on.
If you have not previously selected the off-
road menu ( Y page 220) in the on-board
computer, the message disappears after
about five seconds.
The Max. Speed 12 MPH (20 Km/h )
message draws your attention to the
maximum speed permitted for off-road
level 3.
While the adjustment from off-road level 2 to
off-road level 3 is taking place, you will see a
message such as the following in the
multifunction display:
Once off-road level 3 has been reached, you
will see a message in the multifunction
display, for example:
If you drive above 12 mph (20 km/h) in off-
road level 3, you will see the following
message in the multifunction display:
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:To raise the level;To lower the level=Indicator lampsXStart the engine.
If one or more indicator lamps = are on:
XTurn the selector wheel
counterclockwise ; until all indicator
lamps = that are lit start to flash.
The vehicle is lowered to highway level. As
soon as the next lowest level is reached,
the indicator lamp stops flashing and goes
out.
While the adjustment is taking place, a
message appears in the multifunction
display, e.g.:
If you press the V, U , & or *
button on the multifunction steering wheel,
the message will disappear.
Once highway level has been reached, all
indicator lamps = go out. You will see a
message in the multifunction display, for
example:
If you have not previously selected the off-
road menu ( Y page 220) in the on-board
computer, the message disappears after
about five seconds.
The vehicle automatically selects highway
level if you are driving faster than 60 mph
(115 km/h). Depending on the ADS setting
( Y page 194), the vehicle is lowered to high-
speed level at higher speeds.
i If you are towing a trailer, the vehicle is
not lowered to high-speed level.
ADS (Adaptive Damping System)
General notes
ADS is continuously electronically controlled.
It adapts the damping characteristics to the
current operating and driving situation.
Damping is controlled separately for each
wheel. This increases driving safety and tire
comfort.
This depends on:
R your driving style
R the road surface conditions
R the ADS setting
R the vehicle level setting
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the key from the ignition lock.
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