maintenance MERCEDES-BENZ GL 2016 Owner's Manual

Cleaning the vehicle parts
Cleaning the wheels
G WARNING
The water jet from a circular jet nozzle (dirt
blasters) can cause invisible exterior damage
to the tires or chassis components. Compo-
nents damaged in this way may fail unexpect-
edly. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not use power washers with circular jet
nozzles to clean the vehicle. Have damaged
tires or chassis components replaced imme-
diately.
! Do not use acidic wheel cleaning products
to remove brake dust. This could damage
wheel bolts and brake components.
! Do not park the vehicle for an extended
period straight after cleaning it, particularly
after having cleaned the wheels with wheel
cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
increased corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. For this reason, you
should drive for a few minutes after clean-
ing. Braking heats the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings, thus drying them. The
vehicle can then be parked.
Cleaning the windows
G WARNING
You could become trapped by the windshield
wipers if they start moving while cleaning the
windshield or wiper blades. There is a risk of
injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
the ignition before cleaning the windshield or
wiper blades.
! Do not use dry cloths, abrasive products,
solvents or cleaning agents containing sol-
vents to clean the inside of the windows. Do
not touch the insides of the windows with
hard objects, e.g. an ice scraper or ring.
There is otherwise a risk of damaging the
windows. ! Clean the water drainage channels of the
windshield and the rear window at regular
intervals. Deposits such as leaves, petals
and pollen may under certain circumstan-
ces prevent water from draining away. This
can lead to corrosion damage and damage
to electronic components. X
Clean the inside and outside of the win-
dows with a damp cloth and a cleaning
product that is recommended and
approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Cleaning wiper blades
G WARNING
You could become trapped by the windshield
wipers if they start moving while cleaning the
windshield or wiper blades. There is a risk of
injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
the ignition before cleaning the windshield or
wiper blades.
! Do not pull the wiper blade. Otherwise,
the wiper blade could be damaged.
! Do not clean wiper blades too often and
do not rub them too hard. Otherwise, the
graphite coating could be damaged. This
could cause wiper noise.
! Hold the wiper arm securely when folding
back. The windshield could be damaged if
the wiper arm smacks against it suddenly. X
Fold the windshield wiper arms away from
the windshield. X
Carefully clean the wiper blades with a
damp cloth. X
Fold the windshield wiper arms back again
before switching on the ignition.
Cleaning the exterior lighting
! Only use cleaning agents or cleaning
cloths which are suitable for plastic light
lenses. Unsuitable cleaning agents or
cleaning cloths could scratch or damage
the plastic light lenses. Care 379
Maintenance and care Z

X
Clean the plast ic lenses of the exterior
lighting using a wet sponge and a mild
cleaning agent, e.g. Mercedes-Benz car
shampoo or cleaning cloths.
Cleaning the mirror turn signals
! On ly use cleaning agents or cleaning
cloths that are suitable for plast ic lenses.
Unsuit able cleaning agents or cleaning
cloths could scratch or damage the plastic
lenses of the mirror turn signals. X
Clean the plast ic lenses of the mirror turn
signals in the exterior mirror housing using
a wet sponge and mild cleaning agent, e.g.
Mercedes-Benz car shampoo or cleaning
cloths.
Cleaning the side running board
! Do not clean the aluminum inserts of the
side running board with alkaline or acidic
cleaners, such as wheel cleaner. Do not use
acid ic wheel cleaners to remove brake
dust. The aluminum inserts could other-
wise be damaged.
Cleaning the sensors
! If you clean the sensors with a power
washer, make sure that you keep a dis-
tance of at least 11.8 in (30 cm) between
the veh icle and the power washer nozzle.
In formation about the correct distance is
availab le from the equipment manufac-
turer. X
Clean sensors C of the driv ing systems
wit h water, car shampoo and a soft cloth.
Cleaning the rear view camera
! Do not clean the camera lens and the area
around the rear view camera with a power
washer.
X
Use clear water and a soft cloth to clean
camera lens C .
Cleaning the 360° camera
! Do not clean the camera lens and the area
around the 360° camera with a power
washer.360380
Care
Maintenance and care

X
Use clear water and a soft cloth to clean
camera lens C .
Cleaning the exhaust pipe
G WARNING
The exhaust tail pipe and tail pipe trim can
become very hot. If you come into contact
with these parts of the vehicle, you could burn
yourself. There is a risk of injury.
Always be particularly careful around the
exhaust tail pipe and the tail pipe trim. Allow
these components to cool down before touch-
ing them.
Impurities combined with the effects of road
grit and corrosive environmental factors may
cause flash rust to form on the surface. You
can restore the original shine of the exhaust
pipe by cleaning it regularly, especially in win-
ter and after washing. X
Clean the exhaust pipe with a chrome care
product tested and approved by Mercedes-
Benz.
Cleaning the trailer tow hitch
H Environmental note
Dispose of rags soaked in oil and grease in an
environmentally responsible manner.
! Do not clean the ball coupling with a
power washer. Do not use solvents.
! Please note the care instructions in the
trailer coupling manufacturer's operating
instructions. The ball coupling must be cleaned if it
becomes dirty or corroded. X
Remove rust on the ball of the ball coupling,
e.g. with a wire brush. X
Remove dirt with a clean, lint-free cloth or a
brush. X
After cleaning, lightly oil or grease ball cou-
pling C . X
Check that the vehicle's trailer tow hitch is
working properly.
i You can also have the maintenance work
on the ball coupling and the trailer tow hitch
carried out by a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Interior care
Cleaning the display
! For cleaning, do not use any of the fol-
lowing: R
alcohol-based thinner or gasoline R
abrasive cleaning agents R
commercially-available household clean-
ing agents
These may damage the display surface. Do
not put pressure on the display surface
when cleaning. This could lead to irrepara-
ble damage to the display. Care 381
Maintenance and care Z

X
Before cleaning the display, make sure that
it is switched off and has cooled down. X
Clean the display surface using a commer-
cially available microfiber cloth and
TFT/LCD display cleaner. X
Dry the display surface using a dry micro-
fiber cloth.
Cleaning Night View Assist Plus
! Never clean the camera lens. When clean-
ing the field of vision of the driving systems,
make sure that you do not spray glass
cleaner on the camera lens. If the camera
lens is dirty, visit a qualified specialist work-
shop.
X
Fold down the camera cover by recess C .
X
Use a soft cloth to clean the windshield in
front of camera D . Cleaning the plastic trim
G WARNING
Care products and cleaning agents containing
solvents cause surfaces in the cockpit to
become porous. As a result, plastic parts may
come loose in the event of air bag deploy-
ment. There is a risk of injury.
Do not use any care products and cleaning
agents to clean the cockpit.
! Do not affix the following to plastic surfa-
ces: R
stickers R
films R
scented oil bottles or similar items
You can otherwise damage the plastic.
! Do not allow cosmetics, insect repellent
or sunscreen to come into contact with the
plastic trim. This maintains the high-quality
look of the surfaces. X
Wipe the plastic trim with a damp, lint-free
cloth, e.g. a microfiber cloth. X
Heavy soiling: use care and cleaning prod-
ucts recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
The surface may change color temporarily.
Wait until the surface is dry again.
Cleaning the steering wheel and gear or
selector lever X
Thoroughly wipe with a damp cloth or use
leather care agents that have been recom-
mended and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Cleaning genuine wood and trim ele-
ments
! Do not use solvent-based cleaning agents
such as tar remover, wheel cleaners, pol-
ishes or waxes. There is otherwise a risk of
damaging the surface.
! Do not use chrome polish on trim pieces.
The trim pieces have a chrome look but are
mostly made of anodized aluminum and382
Care
Maintenance and care

can lose their shine if chrome polish is
used. Use a damp, lint-free cloth instead
when cleaning the trim pieces.
If the chrome-plated trim pieces are very
dirty, you can use a chrome polish. If you
are unsure as to whether the trim pieces
are chrome-plated or not, consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. X
Wipe the wooden trim and trim pieces with
a damp, lint-free cloth, e.g. a microfiber
cloth. X
Heavy soiling: use car care and cleaning
products recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
Cleaning the seat covers General notes
! Do not use microfiber cloths to clean gen-
uine leather, artificial leather or DINAMICA
covers. If used often, these can damage the
cover.
i Note that regular care is essential to
ensure that the appearance and comfort of
the covers is retained over time.
Genuine leather seat covers
! To retain the natural appearance of the
leather, observe the following cleaning
instructions: R
Clean genuine leather covers carefully
with a damp cloth and then wipe the cov-
ers down with a dry cloth. R
Make sure that the leather does not
become soaked. It may otherwise
become rough and cracked. R
Only use leather care agents that have
been tested and approved by Mercedes-
Benz. You can obtain these from a quali-
fied specialist workshop.
Leather is a natural product.
It exhibits natural surface characteristics, for
example: R
differences in the texture R
marks caused by growth and injury R
slight nuances of color
These are characteristics of leather and not
material defects.
Seat covers of other materials
! Observe the following when cleaning: R
clean artificial leather covers with a cloth
moistened with a solution containing 1%
detergent (e.g. dish washing liquid). R
clean cloth covers with a microfiber cloth
moistened with a solution containing 1%
detergent (e.g. dish washing liquid). Rub
care fu lly and always wipe entire seat sec-
tions to avoid leaving visible lines. Leave
the seat to dry afterwards. Cleaning
results depend on the type of dirt and
how long it has been there. R
clean DINAMICA covers with a damp
cloth. Make sure that you wipe entire
seat sections to avoid leaving visible
lines.
Cleaning the seat belts
G WARNING
Seat belts can become severely weakened if
bleached or dyed. This could cause the seat
belts to tear or fail, for instance, in the event of
an accident. This poses an increased risk of
injury or fatal injury.
Never bleach or dye the seat belts.
! Do not clean the seat belts using chemical
cleaning agents. Do not dry the seat belts
by heating at temperatures above 176 ‡
(80 †) or in direct sunlight. X
Use clean, lukewarm water and soap solu-
tion. Care 383
Maintenance and care Z

Cleaning the headliner and carpets X
Headliner: if it is very dirty, use a soft brush
or dry shampoo. X
Carpets: use the carpet and textile clean-
ing agents recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.384
Care
Maintenance and care

of driving, the current tire pressure of each
tire is shown in the Service
menu of the mul-
tifunction display; see illustration (example).
For information on the message display, refer
to the "Checking the tire pressure electroni-
cally" section ( Y
page 414).
Important safety notes
G WARNING
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked at least once a month
when cold and inflated to the pressure rec-
ommended by the vehicle manufacturer on
the Tire and Loading Information placard on
the driver's door B-pillar or the tire pressure
label on the inside of the fuel filler flap. If your
vehicle has tires of a different size than the
size indicated on the Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard or the tire pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire pressure for
those tires.
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pres-
sure telltale when one or more of your tires
are significantly underinflated. Accordingly,
when the low tire pressure telltale illuminates,
you should stop and check your tires as soon
as possible, and inflate them to the proper
pressure. Driving on a significantly underin-
flated tire causes the tire to overheat and can
lead to tire failure. Underinflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and
may affect the vehicle's handling and stop-
ping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute
for proper tire maintenance, and it is the driv-
er's responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if underinflation has not reached the level to trigger illumination of the
TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
USA only:
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate if the
system is not operating properly. The TPMS
malfunction indicator is combined with the
low tire pressure telltale. When the system
detects a malfunction, the warning lamp will
flash for approximately a minute and then
remain continuously illuminated. This
sequence will be repeated every time the vehi-
cle is started as long as the malfunction
exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated,
the system may not be able to detect or signal
low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunc-
tions may occur for a variety of reasons,
including the mounting of incompatible
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on
the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from func-
tioning properly. Always check the TPMS mal-
function telltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that
the replacement or alternate tires and wheels
allow the TPMS to continue to function prop-
erly.
It is the driver's responsibility to set the tire
pressure to that recommended for cold tires
which is suitable for the operating situation
( Y
page 408). Note that the correct tire pres-
sure for the current operating situation must
first be taught-in to the tire pressure monitor.
If there is a substantial loss of pressure, the
warning threshold for the warning message is
aligned to the reference values taught-in.
Restart the tire pressure monitor after adjust-
ing the pressure of the cold tires
( Y
page 415). The current pressures are
saved as new reference values. As a result, a
warning message will appear if the tire pres-
sure drops significantly.
The tire pressure monitor does not warn you
of an incorrectly set tire pressure. Observe
the notes on the recommended tire pressure
( Y
page 408). Tire pressure 413
Wheels and tires Z

X
On light downhill gradients: place
chocks or other suitable items in front of
the wheels of the front and rear axle.
Raising the vehicle
G WARNING
If you do not position the jack correctly at the
appropriate jacking point of the vehicle, the
jack could tip over with the vehicle raised.
There is a risk of injury.
Only position the jack at the appropriate jack-
ing point of the vehicle. The base of the jack
must be positioned vertically, directly under
the jacking point of the vehicle.
! AMG vehicles with "Minispare" emer-
gency spare wheel: use the "Minispare"
emergency spare wheel only on the rear
axle . If you mount the "Minispare" emer-
gency spare wheel on the front axle, this
could result in damage to the brake system.
If a tire on the front axle is defective, an
intact wheel from the rear axle must first be
replaced with the "Minispare" emergency
spare wheel. The faulty wheel on the front
axle may only then be replaced by the
undamaged wheel from the rear axle.
Make sure to note the placard on the
"Minispare" emergency spare wheel.
! The jack is designed exclusively for jack-
ing up the vehicle at the jacking points.
Otherwise, your vehicle could be damaged. Observe the following when raising the vehi-
cle: R
To raise the vehicle, only use the vehicle-
specific jack that has been tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz. If used incor-
rectly, the jack could tip over with the vehi-
cle raised. R
The jack is designed only to raise and hold
the vehicle for a short time while a wheel
is being changed. It is not suited for per-
forming maintenance work under the vehi-
cle. R
Avoid changing the wheel on uphill and
downhill slopes. R
Before raising the vehicle, secure it from
rolling away by applying the parking brake
and inserting wheel chocks. Do not disen-
gage the parking brake while the vehicle is
raised. R
The jack must be placed on a firm, flat and
non-slip surface. On a loose surface, a
large, flat, load-bearing underlay must be
used. On a slippery surface, a non-slip
underlay must be used, e.g. rubber mats. R
Do not use wooden blocks or similar
objects as a jack underlay. Otherwise, the
jack will not be able to achieve its load-
bearing capacit y due to the restricted
height. R
Make sure that the distance between the
underside of the tires and the ground does
not exceed 1.2 in (3 cm). R
Do not place your hands or feet under the
raised vehicle. R
Do not lie under the vehicle. R
Do not start the engine when the vehicle is
raised. R
Never open or close a door or the tailgate
when the vehicle is raised. R
Make sure that no persons are present in
the vehicle when the vehicle is raised.Changing a wheel 429
Wheels and tires Z

The engine oils are matched to the perform-
ance of Mercedes-Benz engines and service
intervals. You should therefore only use
engine oils and oil filters that are approved for
vehicles with maintenance systems.
For a list of approved engine oils and oil filters,
consult an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter. Or visit the website
http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com.
The table shows which engine oils have been
approved for your vehicle.
Gasoline engines MB Approval
All models
229.5
Diesel engines MB Approval
GL 350 Blue-
TEC 4MATIC 228.51,
229.31,
229.51, 229.52
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: use only
SAE 0W-40 or SAE 5W-40 engine oils.
i MB approval is indicated on the oil con-
tainers.
Filling capacities
The following values refer to an oil change
including the oil filter.
Missing values were not available at time of
going to print.
Model Capacity
GL 350 Blue-
TEC 4MATIC 8.5 US qt (8.0 l)
GL 450
GL 450 4MATIC 7.4 US qt (7.0 l)
GL 550 4MATIC
9.0 US qt (8.5 l)
Mercedes ‑ AMG
vehicles Additives
! Do not use any additives in the engine oil.
This could damage the engine.
Engine oil viscosity
Viscosity describes the flow characteristics
of a fluid. If an engine oil has a high viscosity,
this means that it is thick; a low viscosity
means that it is thin.
Select an engine oil with an SAE classification
(viscosity) suitable for the prevailing outside
temperatures. The table shows you which
SAE classifications are to be used. The low-
temperature characteristics of engine oils
can deteriorate significantly, e.g. as a result
of aging, soot and fuel deposits. It is therefore
strongly recommended that you carry out reg-
ular oil changes using an approved engine oil
with the appropriate SAE classification.
Brake fluid
G WARNING
The brake fluid constantly absorbs moisture
from the air. This lowers the boiling point of
the brake fluid. If the boiling point of the brake
fluid is too low, vapor pockets may form in the
brake system when the brakes are applied
hard. This would impair braking efficiency.
There is a risk of an accident.
You should have the brake fluid renewed at
the specified intervals.Service products and filling capacities 451
Technical data Z

Comp ly wit h the important safety notes for
service products when han dlin g brake fluid
( Y
page 447).
The brake fluid change intervals can be found
in the Maintenance Booklet.
On ly use brake fluid appr oved by Mercedes-
Benz according to MB Approval 331.0.
In formation about approved brake fluid can
be obtained at any qualif ied specialist work-
shop or on the In ternet at
http:/ /be vo.mercedes-benz.co m.
i Have the brake fluid regularly replaced at
a qualified specialist workshop and the
replacement confirmed in the Maintenance
Booklet.
Coolant
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If antifreeze comes into contact with hot com-
ponents in the engine compartment, it may
ignite. There is a risk of fire and injury.
Let the engine cool down before you add anti-
freeze. Make sure that antifreeze is not spilled
next to the filler neck. Thoroughly clean the
antifreeze from components before starting
the engine.
! Only add coolant that has been premixed
with the desired antifreeze protection. You
could otherwise damage the engine.
Further information on coolants can be
found in the Mercedes-Benz Specifications
for Service Products, MB BeVo 310.1, e.g.
on the Internet at
http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com. Or con-
tact a qualified specialist workshop.
! Always use a suitable coolant mixture,
even in countries where high temperatures
prevail.
Otherwise, the engine cooling system is not
sufficiently protected from corrosion and
overheating. i Have the coolant regularly replaced at a
qualified specialist workshop and the
replacement confirmed in the Maintenance
Booklet.
Comply with the important safety precautions
for service products when handling coolant
( Y
page 447).
The coolant is a mixture of water and anti-
freeze/corrosion inhibitor. It performs the
following tasks: R
corrosion protection R
antifreeze protection R
raising the boiling point
If the coolant has antifreeze protection down
to -35 ‡( -37 †), the boiling point of the cool-
ant during operation is approximately 266 ‡
(130 †).
The antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor concentra
-
tio n in the engine cooling system should: R
be at least 50%. This will protect the engine
cooling system against freezing down to
approximately -35 ‡ (-37 †). R
not exceed 55% (antifreeze protection
down to -49 ‡ [-45 †]). Other wise, heat
will not be dissipated as effectively.
Mercedes-Benz recommends an antifreeze/
corrosion inhibitor concentrate in accord-
ance with MB Specifications for Service Prod-
ucts 310.1.
i When the vehicle is first delivered, it is fil-
led with a coolant mixture that ensures
adequate antifreeze and corrosion protec-
tion.
i The coolant is checked with every main-
tenance interval at a qualified specialist
workshop.452
Service products and filling capacities
Technical data