center console MERCEDES-BENZ GL 2012 User Guide

not be able to properly approximate the
occupant weight category.
R Do not place objects under and/or around
the front passenger seat.
R Do not hang anything from or attach any
items to the seats.
R do not store any objects, such as books,
between the front passenger seat and the
center console or the front-passenger door.
R Do not move the front passenger seat
backwards against rigid objects.
R Sit with the seat belt properly fastened in a
position that is as upright as possible with
your back against the seat backrest.
R When seated, a passenger should not
position him/herself in such a way as to
cause the passenger's weight to be lifted
from the seat cushion as this may result in
the OCS being unable to correctly
approximate the passenger's weight
category.
R Read and observe all warnings in this
chapter.
System self-test
The 42 indicator lamp
illuminates when you:
R turn the SmartKey to position 1 or 2 in the
ignition lock
R press the KEYLESS-GO Start/Stop button
once or twice
If an adult occupant is properly sitting on the
passenger seat and the OCS classifies the
occupant as an adult, the 42
indicator lamp illuminates and goes out again
after approximately 6 seconds.
If the seat is not occupied and the OCS
classifies the front passenger seat as being
unoccupied, the 42 indicator
lamp will illuminate and not go out.
GWARNING
If the 4 2 indicator lamp does
not illuminate, the system is not functioning.
You must contact an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center before seating any child on the
front passenger seat.
For more information, see "Problems with the
Occupant Classification System"
( Y page 49).GWARNING
Never place anything between seat cushion
and child seat (e.g. a pillow), since it reduces
the effectiveness of the OCS. The underside
and rear side child restraint system must be
placed entirely on the seat cushion and the
backrest of the front-passenger seat
backrest.
If necessary, adjust the tilt of the passenger
seat backrest.
An incorrectly mounted child seat could cause
injuries to the child in case of an accident,
instead of increasing protection for the child.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions for
installation of child restraint systems.
48Occupant safetySafety

process has not been completed. LOW
RANGE is in the neutral position. There is no
connection between the engine and the drive
wheels.
! Do not drive any further, otherwise you
could damage the vehicle’s drive train.XStop the vehicle. Take into account the
road and traffic conditions when doing this.XDepress the parking brake.XCarry out the gear change process again.
If the gear change process has been carried
out, the Stop vehicle Apply parking
brake message disappears.
Differential lock
General notes
i Differential locks are available only in
vehicles with the Off-Road Pro engineering
package.
Your vehicle is equipped with the following:
R A differential lock for the transfer box: this
controls the balance between the front and
rear axles.
R A differential lock for the rear axle: this
controls the balance between the wheels
and the rear axle.
Differential locks improve the vehicle's
traction. 4ETS ( Y page 70) controls the
balance between the wheels on the front axle.
For information about driving off-road, see
( Y page 174).
Information on differential and
differential locks
When the vehicle drives around a corner, the
wheels on the outside of the bend must cover
a greater distance and must therefore turn
more rapidly than the wheels on the inside.
The differential, a transmission in the drive
train, compensates for these different
rotational speeds, making cornering possible.
A differential has the disadvantage that the
wheels with the least road grip are driven with
the greatest force. An example: a wheel of a
driven axle is on a snow-covered surface and
therefore does not have any traction. The
differential causes this wheel to be subjected
to the strongest driving force, as the flow of
force takes the path of least resistance. On
the other hand, the opposite wheel on this
axle, which is located on a firm surface and
could therefore make traction possible, does
not receive any driving force. 4ETS rectifies
this disadvantage and provides good
steerability by braking the spinning wheel
automatically and therefore channeling more
driving force to the wheel that is on a firm
surface and that can therefore supply
traction.
ESP ®
and 4ETS are traction systems that are
ideally suited for driving on roads and on
gentle terrain. The LOW RANGE off-road gear
also improves off-road capability.
Difficult terrain conditions require further
more extensive measures such as the locking
of one or more differentials. Your vehicle is
equipped with two differential locks: one
(central) differential lock for the transfer case
and one differential lock for the rear axle.
Each differential lock can be activated with
the selector wheel on the center console.
When the (central) differential for the transfer
case is locked, the speed of the front wheels
is just as high as the speed of the rear wheels.
If the differential for the rear axle is locked,
both rear wheels turn at the same speed,
regardless of their individual torques. Please
note that activating the differential locks
severely restricts the vehicle's steerability.
For your own safety, the safety of others and
to prevent damage to your vehicle, the
differential locks must not be activated on
paved roads. Please note that the function of
the differential is absolutely necessary for
driving on paved roads and that the
differentials must not be locked on paved
roads under any circumstances. The
steerability of the vehicle would otherwise be208Off-road driving systemsDriving and parking

Do not pile luggage or cargo higher than the
seat backrests.
If so equipped, always use the cargo net when
transporting cargo. The cargo net cannot
secure hard or heavy objects.
Parcel nets cannot secure hard or heavy
objects.
Keep compartment lids closed. This will help
to prevent stored objects from being thrown
about and injuring vehicle occupants during
R braking
R vehicle maneuvers
R an accident
Stowage compartments in the front
Glove box
XTo open: pull handle : and open glove box
flap ;.XTo close: fold glove box flap ; upwards
until it engages.
The glove box can only be locked and
unlocked using the mechanical key.
1Glove box unlocked2Glove box locked
Stowage compartment in the center
console
XTo open: briefly press marking ;.XTo close: push stowage compartment :
in the direction of the arrow until it
engages.
Stowage compartment under the armrest
i The º (Y page 290) Roadside
Assistance call button and
E (Y page 290) MB Info call button are
located in the stowage compartment under
the armrest.
Stowage areas269Stowing and featuresZ

XTo open: pull handle : and fold the
armrest upwards.
Coin holders = are located in front of
stowage compartment ;.
Stowage compartments in the rear
Stowage compartment in the rear center
console
XTo open: briefly press the stowage
compartment marking.
i Depending on the vehicle's equipment,
there may be open stowage spaces above
and below the stowage compartment.
Stowage pockets
GWARNING
Storage bags are intended for storing light-
weight items only.
Heavy objects, objects with sharp edges or
fragile objects may not be transported in the
storage bag. In an accident, during hard
braking, or sudden maneuvers, they could be
thrown around inside the vehicle and cause
injury to vehicle occupants.
Storage bags cannot protect transported
goods in the event of an accident.
Storage bags are located in the rear
compartment on the driver's and front-
passenger seat backrests.
Parcel nets
GWARNING
Vehicles with Occupant Classification System
(OCS)
Do not place objects with a combined weight
of more than 4.4 lbs (2 kg) into the parcel net
on the back of the front passenger seat.
Otherwise, the OCS may not be able to
properly approximate the occupant weight
category.
GWARNING
Parcel nets are intended for storing light-
weight items only, such as road maps, mail,
etc.
Heavy objects, objects with sharp edges, or
fragile objects may not be transported in the
parcel nets. In an accident, during hard
braking, or sudden maneuvers, they could be
thrown around inside the vehicle and cause
injury to vehicle occupants.
Parcel nets cannot protect transported goods
in the event of an accident.
Parcel nets are located in the front-passenger
footwell and on the back of the driver's and
the front-passenger seat.
Enlarging the cargo compartment
Important safety notes
GWARNING
When expanding the cargo volume, always
fully fold the corresponding seats and, if so
270Stowage areasStowing and features

Features
Cup holders
Important safety notes
GWARNING
In order to help prevent spilling liquids on
vehicle occupants and/or vehicle equipment,
only use containers that fit into the cup
holder. Use lids on open containers and do
not fill containers to a height where the
contents, especially hot liquids, could spill
during braking, vehicle maneuvers, or in an
accident. Liquids spilled on vehicle occupants
may cause serious personal injury. Liquids
spilled on vehicle equipment may cause
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
When not in use, keep the cup holder closed.
An open cup holder may cause injury to you
or others when contacted during braking,
vehicle maneuvers, or in an accident.
Keep in mind that objects placed in the cup
holder may come loose during braking,
vehicle maneuvers, or in an accident and be
thrown around in the vehicle interior. Objects
thrown around in the vehicle interior may
cause an accident and/or serious personal
injury.
Cup holder in the front-compartment
center console
In the front part of the center console, there
is a cup holder and a removable support with
a card holder.
You can remove the cup holder to clean it.
Clean with clear, lukewarm water only.
XTo remove: hold cup holder : by
support ; and pull out in the direction of
the arrow.XTo install: place the cup holder into the
guides and insert.
Cup holder in the rear seat armrest
! Do not sit on or support your body weight
on the rear seat armrest when it is folded
down, as you could otherwise damage it.
XFold down the rear seat armrest.
Cup holder : is in the rear seat armrest.
Cup holder in the third row of seats
The cup holders are located in the side trim
on the left and right-hand sides.
282FeaturesStowing and features

XTo close: pull out the roller sunblind using
handle = and attach arm ; to
bracket :.
The roller sunblind engages.XTo open: press release knob ? to release
the roller sunblind from bracket :.XRetract the roller sunblind by hand.
Ashtray
Ashtray in the front-compartment
center console
i You can remove the ashtray insert and
use the resulting compartment for
stowage.
! The stowage space under the ashtray is
not heat resistant. Before placing lit
cigarettes in the ashtray, make sure that
the ashtray is properly engaged. Otherwise,
the stowage space could be damaged.
XTo open: briefly press marking ?.
Stowage compartment : opens.XTo remove the insert: lift insert =
up ; and out.XTo re-install the insert: press insert =
into the holder until it engages.
Ashtray in the rear-compartment center
console
! Close the ashtray when it is not in use and
before you fold the rear seats forward. You
can otherwise damage the ashtray.
XTo open: briefly press marking =.
Ashtray ; opens.XTo remove the insert: lift insert : up and
out.XTo install the insert: mount insert : from
above into the holder and press down into
the holder until it engages.
Cigarette lighter
GWARNING
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock. Always take
the SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. A child's unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. The children
could:
R injure themselves on parts of the vehicle
R be seriously or fatally injured through
excessive exposure to extreme heat or cold
R injure themselves or cause an accident with
vehicle equipment that can be operated
even if the SmartKey is removed from the
ignition lock or removed from the vehicle,
such as seat adjustment, steering wheel
adjustment, or the memory function
If children open a door, they could injure other
persons or get out of the vehicle and injure
themselves or be injured by following traffic.
284FeaturesStowing and features

Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system's
metal parts, for example, could become very
hot, and the child could be burned on these
parts.GWARNING
Never touch the heating element or sides of
the lighter; they are extremely hot. Hold the
knob only.
Make sure any children traveling with you do
not injure themselves or start a fire with the
hot cigarette lighter.
! The 12 V socket in the cigarette lighter
can be used for accessories (up to a
maximum of 180 W) as long as they have
the standard socket type for cigarette
lighters. Note that the socket in the
cigarette lighter can be damaged when
connecting accessories, for example by
frequent insertion and removal or by
sockets that do not fit correctly. A damaged
socket can cause the cigarette lighter to
stop working.
! The cigarette lighter in the center console
in the front compartment is not intended
for operating the tire inflation compressor.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.XTo open: briefly press marking =.
Stowage compartment : opens.XPress in cigarette lighter ;.
Cigarette lighter ; will pop out
automatically when the heating element is
red-hot.
12 V sockets
Points to observe before use
! The socket in the center console and the
socket in the cargo compartment are not
intended for operating the tire inflation
compressor.
The sockets can be used for accessories, e.
g. lamps or mobile phone chargers with a
maximum current draw of 180 W (15 A).
If you use the sockets for long periods when
the engine is switched off, the battery may
discharge.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.
i You can also use the power sockets when
the SmartKey is in position 1 in the ignition
lock.
An emergency cut-out ensures that the on-
board voltage does not drop too low. If the
on-board voltage is too low, the power to
the sockets is automatically cut. This
ensures that there is sufficient power to
start the engine.
Features285Stowing and featuresZ

Socket in the front-passenger footwellXLift up the cover of socket :.
Socket in the front-compartment center
console
! If accessories are connected, make sure
that a maximum current draw of 15 A is not
exceeded. Otherwise, you will overload the
fuse.
! The socket is not suitable for operating
the tire inflation compressor.
XTo open: briefly press marking =.
Stowage compartment : opens.XRemove cover from socket ;.
i
On vehicles with an ashtray and cigarette
lighter, you must remove the cigarette
lighter ( Y page 284) in order to use the
socket.
Socket in the rear-compartment center
consoleXLift up the cover of socket :.
Socket in the cargo compartment
!
The socket is not suitable for operating
the tire inflation compressor.
XLift up the cover of socket :.
115 V power socket
GWARNING
The 115V AC socket operates at high voltage.
Use the 115V AC socket in the vehicle with
the same caution and prudence that you
exercise when using power outlets at home.
Keep any fluids away from the 115V AC
socket. Do not clean the socket with fluids or
tapered objects. Keep the 115V AC socket
cover in the closed position, when not in use.
Otherwise, you could suffer an electric shock
and be seriously or even fatally injured.
286FeaturesStowing and features

GWARNING
Any device that you connect must have a
suitable plug and meet U.S. standards. Never
pull at a cable to disconnect a plug from a
115 V AC power socket. Never use a damaged
connection cable. The 115 V AC power socket
must never be connected to another 115 V
AC power source. Do not use a converter with
an earthed plug for the 115 V AC power
socket. This could cause serious injury to you
and/or other people.
GWARNING
If the 115V AC socket is damaged or torn out
of the trim, do not use or touch the 115V AC
socket. Using a 115V AC socket that is
damaged or torn out of the trim could cause
serious personal injury to you and/or others.
115 V socket : provides an alternating
voltage of 115 V, so that small electronic
devices can be connected. These devices,
such as games consoles, chargers and
laptops, together should not consume more
than a maximum of 150 W.
Requirements for operation of these devices:
R the plug of the electronic device must be
inserted fully into 115 V power socket :.
R the maximum wattage of the device to be
connected must not exceed 150 W.
R the on-board power supply is within a
permissible volt range.
R the 12 V sockets in the rear and the cargo
compartment are operational
( Y page 285).
XOpen flap =.XInsert the plug of the electronic device into
115 V power socket :.
Indicator lamp ; lights up.
If indicator lamp ; does not light up,
consult the section on malfunctions.XTo turn off: disconnect the plug from 115 V
power socket :.
Ensure that you do not pull on the cord.XClose flap =.
Possible causes of malfunction:
R the on-board power supply is not within a
permissible volt range.
R the temperature of the DC/AC converter is
temporarily too high.
R some small electronic devices have a
constant nominal power of less than
150 W, but a very high inrush current.
These devices will not work. If you connect
such a device, 115 V power socket : will
not supply it with power.
If indicator lamp ; still does not light up,
contact a specialist workshop, e.g. an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
mbrace
Important safety notes
! A license agreement must exist in order
to activate the mbrace service. Ensure that
your system is activated and ready for use,
and press the E MB Info call button to
register. If any of the steps mentioned is
not carried out, the system may not be
activated.
If you have questions about the activation,
contact one of the following telephone
assistance services:
R USA: Mercedes-Benz Customer
Assistance Center under
1-888-990-9007
R Canada: Customer Service at
1-888-923-8367
Features287Stowing and featuresZ

Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional
equipment of your vehicle available at the
time of publication of the Operator's
Manual. Country-specific differences are
possible. Please note that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systems and functions.
i Please read the information on qualified
specialist workshops ( Y page 24).
Genuine Mercedes-Benz parts
All Mercedes-Benz Centers maintain a supply
of genuine Mercedes-Benz parts for
necessary service and repair work. In
addition, strategically located parts delivery
centers provide for quick and reliable parts
service.
There are more than 300,000 different
genuine Mercedes-Benz parts available for
Mercedes-Benz models.
Genuine Mercedes-Benz parts are subject to
strict quality control. Each part has been
specially developed, manufactured or
selected for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and
fine-tuned for them.
Therefore, only genuine Mercedes-Benz parts
should be used.
GWARNING
Driving safety may be impaired if non-
approved parts, tires and wheels or safety-
relevant accessories are used.
This could lead to malfunctions in safety-
relevant systems, e.g. the brake system. This
could cause you to lose control of your vehicle
and cause an accident.
For this reason, Mercedes-Benz recommends
that you use genuine Mercedes-Benz parts or
parts of equal quality. Only use tires, wheels
and accessories that have been specifically
approved for your vehicle.
! Air bags and Emergency Tensioning
Devices, as well as control units and
sensors for these restraint systems may be
installed in the following areas of your
vehicle:
R doors
R door pillars
R door sills
R seats
R dashboard
R instrument cluster
R center console
Do not install accessories such as audio
systems in these areas. Do not carry out
repairs or welding. You could impair the
operating efficiency of the restraint
systems.
Have aftermarket accessories installed at
a qualified specialist workshop. Mercedes-
Benz recommends that you use an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for this
purpose.HEnvironmental note
Daimler AG also supplies reconditioned major
assemblies and parts which are of the same
quality as new parts. They are covered by the
same Limited Warranty entitlements as new
parts.
Always specify the vehicle identification
number (VIN) ( Y page 369) and the engine
number ( Y page 370) when ordering genuine
Mercedes-Benz parts.
Warranty
The Service and Warranty Information
booklet contains detailed information about
the warranties covering your vehicle.
368WarrantyTechnical data