Rod MERCEDES-BENZ GL-Class 2015 X166 User Guide

the Service and Guarantee booklet or simply
call the Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance
Center (USA) at the hotline number
1-800-FOR-MERCede s(1-800-367-6372 )or
Customer Service (Canada) at
1-800-387-0100. Vehicle operation outside the USA
and Canada
If you plan to operate your vehicle in foreign
countries, please be aware that:
R service facilities or replacement parts may
not be readily available.
R unleaded fuel for vehicles with a catalytic
converter may not be available. Leaded fuel may cause damage to the catalytic con-
verter.
R the fuel may have a considerably lower
octane rating. Unsuitable fuel can cause
engine damage.
Some Mercedes-Benz models are available
for delivery in Europe through our European
Delivery Program. For details, consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or write to
one of the following addresses.
In the USA
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
European Delivery Department
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
In Canada
Mercedes-Benz Canada, Inc.
European Delivery Department
98 Vanderhoof Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M4G 4C9 Sports Utility Vehicle
G
WARNING
Due to the high center of gravity, the vehicle
may start to skid and roll over in the event of
an abrupt steering maneuver and/or when the vehicle's speed is not adapted to the road
conditions. There is a risk of an accident.
Always adapt your speed and driving style to
the vehicle's driving characteristics and to theprevailing road and weather conditions.
Utility vehicles have a significantly higher roll-
over rate than other types of vehicles.
Failure to operate this vehicle safely may
result in an accident, rollover of the vehicle,
and severe or fatal injury.
In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is sig- nificantly more likely to die than a person
wearing a seat belt.
You and all vehicle occupants should always
wear your seat belts. Operating safety
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you do not have the prescribed service/
maintenance work or any required repairs
carried out, this can result in malfunctions or system failures. There is a risk of an accident.
Always have the prescribed service/mainte-
nance work as well as any required repairs
carried out at a qualified specialist workshop. G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect, for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect. You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving. G
WARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with hot parts of the exhaust system. There is a risk of fire. Introduction
27 Z

When driving off road or on unpaved roads,
check the vehicle's underside regularly. In
particular, remove parts of plants or other
flammable materials which have become
trapped. In the case of damage, contact a
qualified specialist workshop. G
WARNING
Modifications to electronic components, their software as well as wiring can impair their
function and/or the function of other net-
worked components. In particular, systems
relevant to safety could also be affected. As a
result, these may no longer function as inten-
ded and/or jeopardize the operating safety of
the vehicle. There is an increased risk of an
accident and injury.
Never tamper with the wiring as well as elec-
tronic components or their software. You
should have all work to electrical and elec-
tronic equipment carried out at a qualified
specialist workshop.
If you make any changes to the vehicle elec-
tronics, the general operating permit is ren-
dered invalid.
! There is a risk of damage to the vehicle if:
R the vehicle becomes stuck, e.g. on a high
curb or an unpaved road
R you drive too fast over an obstacle, e.g. a
curb or a hole in the road
R a heavy object strikes the undercarriage
or parts of the chassis
In situations like this, the body, the under-
carriage, chassis parts, wheels or tires
could be damaged without the damage
being visible. Components damaged in this way can unexpectedly fail or, in the case of
an accident, no longer withstand the strain
they are designed to.
If the underbody paneling is damaged,
combustible materials such as leaves,
grass or twigs can gather between the
underbody and the underbody paneling. If
these materials come in contact with hot parts of the exhaust system, they can catch
fire.
In such situations, have the vehicle
checked and repaired immediately at a
qualified specialist workshop. If on con-
tinuing your journey you notice that driving
safety is impaired, pull over and stop the
vehicle immediately, paying attention to
road and traffic conditions. In such cases,
visit a qualified specialist workshop. Declarations of conformity
Vehicle components which receive
and/or transmit radio waves USA:
"The wireless devices of this vehicle
comply with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Oper-
ation is subject to the following two condi-
tions: 1) These devices may not cause harm-
ful interference, and 2) These devices must
accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired oper-
ation. Changes or modifications not expressly
approved by the party responsible for com-
pliance could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment."
Canada: "The wireless devices of this vehicle
comply with Industry Canada license-exempt
RSS standard(s). Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: (1) These devices
may not cause interference, and (2) These
devices must accept any interference, includ- ing interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device." Diagnostics connection
The diagnostics connection is only intended
for the connection of diagnostic equipment at a qualified specialist workshop. G
WARNING
If you connect equipment to the diagnostics
connection in the vehicle, it may affect the
operation of the vehicle systems. As a result, 28
Introduction

the operating safety of the vehicle could be
affected. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not connect any equipment to a diagnos-
tics connection in the vehicle. G
WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell can restrict the pedal travel or obstruct a depressed pedal.
The operating and road safety of the vehicle is
jeopardized. There is a risk of an accident.
Make sure that all objects in the vehicle are
stowed correctly, and that they cannot enter
the driver's footwell. Install the floormats
securely and as specified in order to ensure
sufficient clearance for the pedals. Do not use loose floormats and do not place floormats on
top of one another.
! If the engine is switched off and equip-
ment on the diagnostics connection is
used, the starter battery may discharge.
Connecting equipment to the diagnostics
connection can lead to emissions monitoring information being reset, for example. This
may lead to the vehicle failing to meet the
requirements of the next emissions test dur-
ing the main inspection. Qualified specialist workshop
An authorized Mercedes-Benz Center is a
qualified specialist workshop. It has the nec-
essary specialist knowledge, tools and quali-
fications to correctly carry out the work
required on your vehicle. This is especially the case for work relevant to safety.
Observe the notes in the Maintenance Book-
let.
Always have the following work carried out at
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center:
R work relevant to safety
R service and maintenance work
R repair work R
alterations, installation work and modifica-
tions
R work on electronic components Correct use
If you remove any warning stickers, you or
others could fail to recognize certain dangers.
Leave warning stickers in position.
Observe the following information when driv- ing your vehicle:
R the safety notes in this manual
R the Technical Data section in this manual
R traffic rules and regulations
R laws and safety standards pertaining to
motor vehicles Problems with your vehicle
If you should experience a problem with your
vehicle, particularly one that you believe may affect its safe operation, we urge you to con-
tact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
immediately to have the problem diagnosed
and rectified. If the problem is not resolved to
your satisfaction, please discuss the problem
again with a Mercedes-Benz Center or con-
tact us at one of the following addresses.
In the USA
Customer Assistance Center
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
In Canada
Customer Relations Department
Mercedes-Benz Canada, Inc.
98 Vanderhoof Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M4G 4C9 Reporting safety defects
USA only: Introduction
29 Z

The following text is published as required of
manufacturers under Title 49, Code of U.S.
Federal Regulations, Part 575 pursuant to the "National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Actof 1966".
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect
which could cause a crash or could cause
injury or death, you should immediately
inform the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) in addition to notify-
ing Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may
open an investigation, and if it finds that a
safety defect exists in a group of vehicles, it
may order a recall and remedy campaign.
However, NHTSA cannot become involved in
individual problems between you, your
dealer, or Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle
Safety Hotline toll-free at
1-888-327-4236(TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go
to http://www.safercar.gov; or write to:
Administrator, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street,
SW., Washington, DC 20590.
You can also obtain other information about
motor vehicle safety from
http://www.safercar.gov Limited Warranty
! Follow the instructions in this manual
about the proper operation of your vehicle
as well as about possible vehicle damage.
Damage to your vehicle that arises from
culpable contraventions against these
instructions is not covered either by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty or by the
New or Used-Vehicle Warranty. Data stored in the vehicle
Data recording
This vehicle is capable of recording diagnostic information relating to vehicle operation, mal-functions, and user settings. This may include information about the performance or status
of various systems, including but not limited
to, engine, throttle, steering or brake sys-
tems, that is stored and can be read out with
suitable devices, particularly when the vehi-
cle is serviced. The data obtained is used to
properly diagnose and service your vehicle or to further optimize and develop vehicle func-
tions. COMAND/mbrace (Canada: TELEAID)
If the vehicle is equipped with COMAND or
mbrace, additional data about the vehicle’s
operation, the use of the vehicle in certain
situations, and the location of the vehicle may be compiled through COMAND or the mbrace
system.
For additional information please refer to the COMAND User Manual and/or the mbrace
Terms and Conditions. Event data recorders
This vehicle is equipped with an event data
recorder (EDR). The main purpose of an EDR
is to record data that will assist in under-
standing how a vehicle’s systems performed
in certain crash or near crash-like situations,
such as during air bag deployment or when
hitting a road obstacle. The EDR is designed
to record data related to vehicle dynamics
and safety systems for a short period of time, typically 30 seconds or less.
The EDR in this vehicle is designed to record
such data as:
R how various systems in your vehicle are
operating
R whether or not the driver and passenger
seat belts are fastened
R how far (if at all) the driver is depressing the
accelerator and/or brake pedal and
R how fast the vehicle is traveling
This data can help provide a better under-
standing of the circumstances in which 30
Introduction

crashes and injuries occur. NOTE: EDR data is
recorded by your vehicle only if a non-trivial
crash situation occurs; no data is recorded by the EDR under normal driving conditions andno personal data (e.g., name, gender, age,
and crash location) are recorded. However,
other parties, such as law enforcement, can
combine the EDR data with the type of per-
sonal identification data routinely acquired
during a crash investigation.
Access to the vehicle and/or the EDR is nee-
ded to read data that is recorded by an EDR,
and special equipment is required. In addition
to the vehicle manufacturer, other parties
that have the special equipment, such as law enforcement, can read the information by
accessing the vehicle or the EDR.
EDR data may be used in civil and criminal
matters as a tool in accident reconstruction,
accident claims, and vehicle safety. Since the Crash Data Retrieval CDR tool that is used to
extract data from the EDR is commercially
available, Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
("MBUSA") expressly disclaims any and all lia- bility arising from the extraction of this infor-
mation by unauthorized Mercedes-Benz per-
sonnel.
MBUSA will not share EDR data with others
without the consent of the vehicle owners or,
if the vehicle is leased, without the consent of the lessee. Exceptions to this representation
include responses to subpoenas by law
enforcement; by federal, state or local gov-
ernment; in connection with or arising out of
litigation involving MBUSA or its subsidiaries
and affiliates; or, as required by law.
Warning: The EDR is a component of the Sup-
plemental Restraint System ("SRS") Module.
Tampering with, altering, modifying or remov- ing the EDR component may result in a mal-
function of the SRS Module and other sys-
tems.
State laws or regulations regarding EDRs that
conflict with federal regulation are pre-emp-
ted. This means that in the event of such con- flict, the federal regulation governs. As of February 2013, 13 states have enacted laws
relating to EDRs. Information on copyright
General information
Information on license for free and open-
source software used in your vehicle and its
electronic components is available on the fol-
lowing website:
http://www.mercedes-benz.com/
opensource Introduction
31 Z

Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional equip- ment 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 Read the information on qualified special-
ist workshops (Y page 29). Panic alarm
X
To activate: press0033button 0043for at
least one second.
An alarm sounds and the exterior lighting
flashes.
X To deactivate: press0033button 0043
again.
or
X Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
or X Press the KEYLESS-GO Start/Stop button.
The KEYLESS-GO key must be in the vehi-
cle. Occupant safety
Restraint system: introduction
The restraint system reduces the risk of occu-
pants hitting parts of the vehicle interior in the
event of an accident. Furthermore, the
restraint system may also reduce the forces
exerted on the vehicle occupants when an
accident occurs.
The restraint system includes:
R Seat belt system
R Air bags
R Child restraint system
R Child seat securing system
The components of the restraint system work
in conjunction with each other. They can only
offer the intended level of protection if all
vehicle occupants:
R are correctly wearing their seat belts.
(Y page 47)
R adjust their seat and head restraint prop-
erly (Y page 107).
The driver is also responsible for ensuring
that the steering wheel has been correctly
positioned. Observe the information relating
to the correct driver's seat position
(Y page 106).
Always ensure the air bag can inflate properly if deployed (Y page 50).
An air bag supplements a correctly fastened
seat belt and is an additional safety device
providing increased protection for vehicle
occupants in appropriate accident situations.
For example, if the protection already provi-
ded by a correctly fastened seat belt will suf-
fice, the air bags are not deployed. Further-
more, only the air bags that would increase
the degree of protection afforded to the vehi- cle occupants in the event of an accident are deployed. Seat belts and air bags generally do
not protect against objects penetrating the
vehicle from the outside.
Information on the restraint system operation can be found under "Triggering of belt ten-
sioners and air bags" (Y page 58).44
Occupant safetySafety

Depending on the person in the front-
passenger seat, the front-passenger front air
bag must either be disabled or enabled; see
the following points. You must make sure of
this both before and during a journey.
R Children in a child restraint system:
whether the front-passenger front air bag is
enabled or deactivated depends on the
installed child restraint system, and the age
and size of the child. Therefore, be sure to
observe the notes on the "Occupant clas-
sification system (OCS)" (Y page 53) and
on "Children in the vehicle" (Y page 61).
There you will also find instructions on
backwards- and forwards-facing child
restraint systems on the front-passenger
seat.
R All other persons: depending on the clas-
sification of the person in the front-
passenger seat, the front-passenger front
air bag is enabled or deactivated
(Y page 53). Be sure to observe the notes
on "Seat belts“ (Y page 46) and "Air bags"
(Y page 50). There you can also find infor-
mation on the correct seat position. Seat belts
Introduction A correctly fastened seat belt is the most
effective means of restraining the movement
of vehicle occupants in the event of an acci-
dent or overturn. This reduces the risk of
vehicle occupants coming into contact with
parts of the vehicle interior or being thrown
from the vehicle. Furthermore, the seat belt
helps to keep the vehicle occupants in the
best position in relation to the air bag.
The seat belt system consists of:
R Seat belts
R Emergency Tensioning Devices for the
front seat belts and the outer seat belts in
the second and third row of seats
R Belt force limiters for the front seat belts
and the outer seat belts in the second row of seats and the seat belts in the third row
of seats
If the seat belt is pulled quickly or suddenly
from the belt sash guide, the inertia reel
locks. The belt strap cannot be pulled out fur- ther.
Emergency Tensioning Devices tighten the
seat belts in an accident, pulling them close
against the occupant's body. They do not,
however, pull vehicle occupants back
towards the backrest.
Emergency Tensioning Devices do not cor-
rect an incorrect seat position or incorrectly
worn seat belts.
When activated, the belt force limiters reduce
the force exerted by the seat belt on the vehi-
cle occupants.
The belt force limiters for the front seats are
synchronized with the front air bags, which
absorb part of the deceleration force. This
makes it possible to reduce the forces to
which vehicle occupants are subjected during an accident.
! If the front-passenger seat is unoccupied,
do not insert the belt tongue into the buckle of the front-passenger seat. This may oth-
erwise lead to the triggering of the Emer-
gency Tensioning Device in the event of anaccident, which will then need to be
replaced.
Important safety notes The use of seat belts and child restraint sys-
tems is required by law in:
R all 50 states
R the U.S. territories
R the District of Columbia
R all Canadian provinces
Even where this is not required by law, all
vehicle occupants should correctly fasten
their seat belts before starting the journey. G
WARNING
If the seat belt is incorrectly fastened, it can-
not protect as intended. Furthermore, an 46
Occupant safetySafety

continuously or flash. In addition, there may
be a warning tone.
Regardless of whether the driver's and front- passenger seat belts have already been fas-
tened, the 0076seat belt warning lamp lights
up for six seconds each time the engine is
started. If, after six seconds, the driver or
front-passenger seat belt has not been fas-
tened and the doors are closed, the 0076seat
belt warning lamp lights up. As soon as the
driver's and front-passenger seat belts are
fastened or a front door is opened again, the
0076 seat belt warning lamp goes out.
If the driver's seat belt is not fastened after
the engine is started, an additional warning
tone will sound. This warning tone stops after six seconds or when the driver's seat belt is
fastened.
If the vehicle's speed exceeds 15 mph
(25 km/h) once and the driver's and front-
passenger seat belts are not fastened, a
warning tone sounds. A warning tone also
sounds with increasing intensity for
60 seconds or until the driver or front
passenger have fastened their seat belts.
If the driver or front passenger unfasten their
seat belts during the journey, the seat belt
warning is activated again.
i For more information on the
0076seat
belt warning lamp, see "Warning and indi-
cator lamps in the instrument cluster, seat
belts" (Y page 327). Air bags
Introduction The installation point of an air bag can be rec-
ognized by the AIR BAG symbol.
An air bag complements the correctly fas-
tened seat belt. It is no substitute for the seat
belt. The air bag provides additional protec-
tion in applicable accident situations.
Not all air bags are deployed in an accident.
The different air bag systems function inde-
pendently from one another (Y page 58).However, no system available today can com-
pletely eliminate injuries and fatalities.
It is also not possible to rule out a risk of injury
caused by an air bag due to the high speed at which the air bag must be deployed.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you do not sit in the correct seat position,
the air bag cannot protect as intended and
could even cause additional injury when
deployed. This poses an increased risk of
injury or even fatal injury.
To avoid hazardous situations, always make
sure that all of the vehicle's occupants:
R have fastened their seat belts correctly,
including pregnant women
R are sitting correctly and maintain the great-
est possible distance to the air bags
R follow the following instructions
Always make sure that there are no objects
between the air bag and the vehicle's occu-
pants.
R Adjust the seats properly before beginning
your journey. Always make sure that the
seat is in an almost upright position. The
center of the head restraint must support
the head at about eye level.
R Move the driver's and front-passenger
seats as far back as possible. The driver's
seat position must allow the vehicle to be
driven safely.
R Only hold the steering wheel on the out-
side. This allows the air bag to be fully
deployed.
R Always lean against the backrest while driv-
ing. Do not lean forwards or lean against
the door or side window. You may other-
wise be in the deployment area of the air
bags.
R Always keep your feet in the footwell in
front of the seat. Do not put your feet on the
dashboard, for example. Your feet may oth- 50
Occupant safetySafety

Window curtain air bags
Window curtain air bags
0043are integrated
into the side of the roof frame and deploy in
the area extending from the front door (A-pil-
lar) to the rear side window (D-pillar).
When deployed, the window curtain air bag
offers additional protection for the head.
However, it does not protect your chest or
arms.
In the event of a side impact, the window cur-
tain air bag is deployed on the side on which
the impact occurs.
If the system determines that window curtain
air bag deployment can offer additional pro-
tection to that provided by the seat belt, a
window curtain air bag may deploy in other
accident situations (Y page 58).Occupant Classification System
(OCS)
Introduction The Occupant Classification System (OCS)
categorizes the person in the front-passenger
seat. Depending on that result, the front-
passenger front air bag is either enabled or
deactivated.
The system does not deactivate:
R the side impact air bag
R the window curtain air bag
R the Emergency Tensioning Devices
In the following situation, the side impact air
bag and Emergency Tensioning Device are disabled: the OCS system detects that the
front-passenger seat is occupied, but the seat
belt tongue is not inserted in the belt buckle
of the front-passenger seat.
Prerequisites To be classified correctly, the front passenger
must sit:
R with the seat belt fastened correctly
R in an almost upright position with their
back against the seat backrest
R with their feet resting on the floor, if possi-
ble
If the front passenger does not observe these conditions, OCS may produce a false classi-
fication, e.g. because the front passenger:
R transfers their weight by supporting them-
selves on a vehicle armrest
R sits in such a way that their weight is raised
from the seat cushion
If it is absolutely necessary to install a child
restraint system on the front-passenger seat,
be sure to observe the correct positioning of
the child restraint system. Never place
objects under or behind the child restraint
system, e.g. cushions. The entire base of the
child restraint system must always rest on the
seat cushion of the front-passenger seat. The
backrest of the forwards-facing child restraint
system must, as far as possible, be resting on the backrest of the front-passenger seat.
The child restraint system must not touch the roof or be put under strain by the head
restraint. Adjust the angle of the seat back-
rest and the head restraint position accord-
ingly.
Only then can OCS be guaranteed to function
correctly. Always observe the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions. Occupant safety
53Safety Z

How the air bag system works is deter-
mined by the severity of the accident detec- ted, especially the vehicle deceleration or
acceleration, and the apparent type of acci- dent:
R frontal collision
R side impact
R rollover PRE-SAFE
®
(anticipatory occupant
protection system)
Introduction In certain hazardous situations, PRE-SAFE
®
takes pre-emptive measures to protect the
vehicle occupants.
Important safety notes !
Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell or behind the seats. There is a dan- ger that the seats and/or objects could be
damaged when PRE-SAFE ®
is activated.
Although your vehicle is equipped with PRE-
SAFE ®
, the possibility of injury in the event of
an accident cannot be ruled out. Always
adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing
road and weather conditions and maintain a
safe distance from the vehicle in front. Drive
carefully.
Function PRE-SAFE
®
intervenes:
R in emergency braking situations, e.g. when
BAS is activated
R in critical driving situations, e.g. when phys-
ical limits are exceeded and the vehicle
understeers or oversteers severely
R on vehicles with the Active Driving Assis-
tance package: if BAS PLUS intervenes
powerfully or the radar sensor system
detects an imminent danger of collision in
certain situations PRE-SAFE
®
takes the following measures
depending on the hazardous situation detec-
ted:
R the front seat belts are pre-tensioned.
R if the vehicle skids, the sliding sunroof and
the side windows are closed so that only a
small gap remains. The panorama roof with power tilt/sliding panel is completely
closed.
R vehicles with the memory function: the
front-passenger seat is adjusted if it is in an
unfavorable position.
R vehicles with a multicontour seat: the air
pressure in the side bolsters of the seat
backrest is increased.
If the hazardous situation passes without
resulting in an accident, PRE-SAFE ®
slackens
the belt pre-tensioning. On vehicles with mul-
ticontour seats, the air pressure in the side
bolsters is reduced again. All settings made
by PRE-SAFE ®
can then be reversed.
If the seat belt pre-tensioning is not reduced:
X Move the seat backrest or seat back
slightly when the vehicle is stationary.
The seat belt pre-tensioning is reduced and
the locking mechanism is released.
The seat-belt adjustment is an integral part of
the PRE-SAFE ®
convenience function. Infor-
mation about the convenience function can
be found under "Belt adjustment"
(Y page 49). Automatic measures after an acci-
dent
Immediately after an accident, the following
measures are implemented, depending on
the type and severity of the impact:
R by activating the hazard warning lamps
R the emergency lighting is activated
R the vehicle doors are unlocked
R the front side windows are lowered 60
Occupant safetySafety