light MERCEDES-BENZ GL SUV 2009 Owners Manual

R
Accelerate gently and make sure that the
wheels are gripping.
R Avoid high engine speeds, except when
driving on sandy and muddy routes with
high driving resistance.
R Select a shift range appropriate to the gra-
dient.
R Before tackling steep downhill gradients,
select shift range 1.
i The vehicle will not roll backwards when
stopping on an uphill gradient if:
R the automatic transmission is in position
D.
R you have selected the LOW RANGE off-
road gear.
Depress the brake pedal when stopping on
steep uphill gradients. Hill start assist will
aid you when you pull away again
(Y page 90).
Maximum gradient-climbing capability On good road surfaces and with the LOW
RANGE off-road gear selected, the full gradi-
ent-climbing capability is available.
i
If the load on the front axle is reduced
when pulling away on a steep uphill slope,
the front wheels have a tendency to spin.
4ETS recognises this and brakes the
wheels accordingly. The rear wheel torque
is increased and it is easier to pull away.
Brow of hill When driving up an uphill gradient, slightly
reduce pressure on the accelerator immedi-
ately before reaching the brow of the hill.
Make use of the vehicle’s own impetus to
travel over the brow.
This style of driving prevents: R
the vehicle from lifting off the ground on the
brow of a hill
R loss of traction
R the vehicle from travelling too quickly down
the other side
Driving downhill R
Drive slowly.
R Do not drive at an angle down steep
inclines. Steer into the line of fall and drive
with the front wheels aligned straight. Oth-
erwise, the vehicle could slip sideways, tip
and overturn.
R Before tackling steep downhill gradients,
select shift range 1.
R Activate DSR. If this is not sufficient, brake
gently. When doing so, make sure that the
vehicle is facing in the direction of the line
of fall.
R Check that the brakes are working normally
after a long downhill stretch.
i Off-road ABS is activated when the
LOW RANGE off-road gear is selected.
At speeds below 30 km/h, the front wheels
lock cyclically during braking. The digging-
in effect achieved in the process reduces
the stopping distance when driving off-
road. The steerability of the vehicle is con-
siderably reduced when the wheels lock. Driving over obstacles
Observe the following rules when driving over
tree stumps, large stones and other obsta-
cles:
R Select the LOW RANGE off-road gear
(Y page 114).
R Avoid high engine speeds.
R Select shift range 1. Off-road driving
191Operation
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Never press the ADS button* or operate the
level control* while you are coupling up or
decoupling a trailer.
X Make sure the DIRECT SELECT selector
lever is set to P.
X Depress the parking brake.
X Start the engine.
X Set the vehicle to highway level
(Y page 132).
X Set the adaptive damping system (ADS)
setting to AUTOorCOMF (Ypage 129).
X Switch off the engine.
X Close the doors and tailgate.
X Position the trailer level behind the vehicle.
X Couple up the trailer.
X Establish the electrical connection
between the vehicle and the trailer.
i If you have coupled a trailer, the vehicle
will remain at highway level.
The vehicle automatically lowers to high-
way level if you drive faster than 8 km/h
with a trailer. The vehicle is not lowered to
the high-speed level even if you are travel-
ling at higher speeds.
This also applies when using accessories
that are plugged into the socket of the
trailer coupling (e.g. a bicycle rack).
Decoupling a trailer G
Risk of injury
Do not disconnect a trailer with an engaged
overrun brake. Otherwise, your hand could
become trapped between the bumper and
drawbar.
! Do not uncouple a trailer with overrun
brake between the bumper and drawbar,
otherwise your vehicle could be damaged
by the spring action of the overrun brake. X
Make sure the DIRECT SELECT selector
lever is set to P.
X Depress the parking brake.
X Start the engine.
X Close the doors and tailgate.
X Secure the trailer against rolling away. G
Risk of injury
The vehicle is lowered as soon as you discon-
nect the trailer cable. Make sure that nobody
is in the vicinity of the wheel arch or the
underbody. You could otherwise trap yourself
or others.
As soon as you decouple the trailer, the unla-
den vehicle rises slightly. Make sure that you
or others are not injured in the process.
X Remove the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer.
X Switch off the engine. Notes on towing a trailer
G
Risk of accident
When reversing the vehicle towards the
trailer, make sure there is nobody between
the trailer and the vehicle.
Couple and uncouple the trailer carefully. If
you do not couple the trailer to the towing
vehicle correctly, the trailer could become
detached.
Make sure that the following values are not
exceeded:
R the permissible trailer drawbar noseweight
R the permissible trailer load
R the permissible rear axle load of the towing
vehicle
R the maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight of both the towing vehicle and the
trailer
You will find the applicable permissible val-
ues, which must not be exceeded, in the vehi-
cle documents. 196
Trailer towing*Operation
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You will find the values approved by the man-
ufacturer on the vehicle identification plates
and those for the towing vehicle in the "Tech-
nical data" section.
You will find installation dimensions and loads
in the "Technical data" section
(Y page 297).
The maximum drawbar load of the trailer
drawbar on the ball coupling is 140 kg. How-
ever, the actual noseweight must not exceed
the value given on the trailer coupling or
trailer identification plates. The lowest weight
applies.
! Use a noseweight as close as possible to
the maximum permissible noseweight. Do
not use a noseweight of less than 50 kg,
otherwise the trailer may come loose.
Bear in mind that the payload and the rear
axle load are reduced by the actual nose-
weight.
When towing a trailer, where possible set the
tyre pressures for the permissible gross
weight which you find in the table on the
inside of your vehicle's fuel filler flap (higher
values).
Driving tips i
Observe the notes on ESP ®
trailer stabi-
lisation (Y page 51).
In Germany, the maximum permissible speed
for vehicle/trailer combinations depends on
the type of trailer and is either 80 km/h or
100 km/h. Before beginning the journey,
check the trailer's documents to see what the
maximum permitted speed is. G
Risk of accident
Always observe the maximum speed permit-
ted in Germany for vehicle/trailer combina-
tions, even in countries where higher speeds
are permitted. This lowers the risk of an acci-
dent. When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
to when driving without a trailer.
The vehicle/trailer combination:
R is heavier
R is restricted in its acceleration and gradi-
ent-climbing capability
R has an increased braking distance
R is affected more by strong crosswinds
R demands more sensitive steering
R consumes more fuel
On long and steep downhill gradients, you
must select shift range 1,2or 3in good time.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, Distronic* or Speedtronic.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
the speed. This relieves the load on the brake
system and prevents the brakes from over-
heating and wearing too quickly. If you need
additional braking, depress the brake pedal
repeatedly rather than continuously. G
Risk of accident
Never depress the brake pedal continuously
while the vehicle is in motion, e.g. never cause
the brakes to rub by applying constant slight
pedal pressure. This causes the brake system
to overheat, increases the braking distance
and can lead to the brakes failing completely.
Driving tips
R Maintain a greater distance from the vehi-
cle in front than when driving without a
trailer.
R Avoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake
gently at first to allow the trailer to run on.
Then, increase the braking force rapidly.
R The values given for gradient-climbing
capabilities from a standstill refer to sea
level. When driving in mountainous areas,
note that the power output of the engine,
and consequently the vehicle's gradient- Trailer towing*
197Operation
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Care
Care and cleaning products
Regular care of your vehicle is a condition for
retaining the quality in the long term.
Use only care products and cleaning agents
recommended and approved by Mercedes-
Benz.
! For cleaning your vehicle, do not use any
of the following:
R dry, rough or hard cloths
R abrasive cleaning agents
R solvents
R cleaning agents containing solvents
and do not scrub.
Do not touch the surfaces and protective
films with hard objects, e.g. rings or ice
scrapers. You could otherwise scratch or
damage the surfaces and protective film. H
Environmental note
Dispose of empty packaging, cleaning cloths
and polishing wads in an environmentally
responsible manner.
! Do not park the vehicle for a long period
of time directly after cleaning, especially if
the wheels have just been cleaned with a
wheel cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
rapid corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. After cleaning, park
the vehicle when it is at normal operating
temperature. Exterior care
Automatic car wash G
Risk of accident
The efficiency of the brakes is reduced after
using an automatic car wash. This could cause
an accident. For this reason, following a car
wash, drive with particular care until the
brakes are dry. You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the beginning.
!
Do not wash vehicles with an exterior
spare wheel bracket* in an automatic car
wash.
If the vehicle is very dirty, pre-wash it before
cleaning it in an automatic car wash.
! Make sure that the automatic car wash is
suitable for the size of the vehicle. Fold in
the exterior mirrors before the vehicle is
washed. There is otherwise a risk of dam-
age to the exterior mirrors.
! When washing your vehicle in a tow-
through car wash, make sure that the auto-
matic transmission is in position N, other-
wise the vehicle could be damaged.
R Vehicles with a key:
Do not remove the key from the ignition
lock. Do not open the driver's or front-
passenger door when the engine is
switched off, as this automatically shifts
the automatic transmission to park posi-
tion Pand locks the wheels, unless you
have previously shifted the automatic
transmission to N.
R Vehicles with KEYLESS GO*:
Do not open the driver's or front-
passenger door when the engine is
switched off, as this shifts the automatic
transmission to park position Pand locks
the wheels.
! Make sure that the side windows are com-
pletely closed, that the ventilation/heater
blower is fully turned off and that the wind-
screen wiper switch is set to 0. Otherwise,
the rain/light sensor may be activated, trig-
gering unintended wiper movements. This
could cause damage to the vehicle.
After using an automatic car wash, wipe off
wax and drying agents from the windscreen
and the wiper blades. This will prevent smears
and reduce wiping noises caused by residue
on the windscreen. Care
201Operation
* optional
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High-pressure cleaners
G
Risk of accident
Do not use high-pressure cleaners with circu-
lar-jet nozzles (dirt grinders) to clean your
vehicle, in particular the tyres. You could oth-
erwise damage the tyres and cause an acci-
dent.
! Observe the instructions issued by the
equipment manufacturer concerning the
distance to be maintained between the
nozzle of the high-pressure cleaner and the
vehicle (at least 30 cm).
Move the high-pressure cleaner nozzle
around when cleaning your vehicle.
Do not aim directly at any of the following:
R tyres
R door joint
R electrical components
R battery
R connectors
R lights
R seals
R trim elements
R ventilation slots
Damaged seals or electrical components
can lead to failures or leaks.
Cleaning the paintwork Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected
by corrosion and damage caused by inade-
quate care cannot always be completely
repaired. In such cases, visit a qualified spe-
cialist workshop immediately, e.g. a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
X Remove the following types of dirt immedi-
ately, whilst avoiding rubbing too hard.
Soak:
R insect remains with insect remover
R bird droppings with water and rinse off the treated surface after-
wards.
Remove:
R
tree resin, oils, fuels and greases by rub-
bing gently with a cloth soaked in petro-
leum ether or lighter fluid.
R tar stain with tar remover
R wax with silicone remover
! Do not affix:
R stickers
R films
R magnetic plates or similar items
to painted surfaces. Otherwise, you could
damage the paintwork.
Cleaning the wheels !
Do not use acidic wheel cleaners to
remove brake dust. This could damage
wheel bolts and brake components.
Cleaning the windows X
Clean the inside and outside of the win-
dows with a damp cloth and a cleaning
product approved and recommended by
Mercedes-Benz.
! Clean the water drainage channels of the
windscreen and the rear window at regular
intervals. Under certain circumstances,
deposits such as leaves, petals and pollen
may prevent water from draining away
leading to corrosion damage.
Cleaning the wiper blades G
Risk of injury
Before cleaning the windscreen or wiper
blades, turn the key to position 0in the igni-
tion lock or press the Start/Stop button* until
all indicator lamps have gone out in the instru-
ment cluster. The windscreen wipers could
otherwise move and cause injury. 202
CareOperation
* optional
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!
Do not clean the ball coupling with a high-
pressure cleaner. Do not use solvents. :
Ball neck head
; Locking balls
= Guide pin
? Guide faces
A Release lever
B Protective cap
X After cleaning, lightly oil or grease posi-
tions :toB and the ball coupling recess
of the vehicle.
X Treat the lock under protective cap Bwith
an acid and resin-free oil.
X Check that the vehicle's trailer coupling is
working properly.
! Observe the note on care provided by the
trailer manufacturer.
i Maintenance of the ball coupling and
trailer coupling can also be performed by
any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. H
Environmental note
Dispose of oily and greasy cloths in an envi-
ronmentally-responsible manner. Interior care
Cleaning the steering wheel boss and
dashboard G
Risk of injury
When cleaning the steering wheel boss and
dashboard, do not use cockpit sprays or
cleaning agents containing solvents. Cleaning
agents containing solvents cause the surface
to become porous, and as a result plastic
parts may break away and be thrown around
the interior when an airbag is deployed which
may result in severe injuries.
X Wipe the dashboard and steering wheel
boss with a damp, lint-free cloth (e.g. a
microfibre cloth) and cleaning agent.
X Heavy soiling: use car care and cleaning
products recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
Cleaning the COMAND display 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 microfibre cloth and TFT/
LCD display cleaner.
X Dry the display surface using a dry micro-
fibre cloth.
! For cleaning, do not use any of the fol-
lowing:
R alcohol-based solvents or petrol
R abrasive cleaning agents
R commercially-available household clean-
ing agents
These may damage the display surface. Do
not exert pressure when cleaning the dis-
play surface as this may lead to irreversible
damage.
Cleaning the seat covers !
Do not use microfibre cloths to clean gen-
uine leather, artificial leather or 204
CareOperation
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Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
X
X Solutions ESP unavaila‐
ble See
Owner's
Manual
G
Risk of accident
ESP ®
and therefore also PRE-SAFE ®
are temporarily unavail-
able. The self diagnosis function might not be complete, for
example. BAS has also been deactivated.
X Carefully drive a short, gently winding stretch of road at a
speed above 20 km/h.
If the display message disappears, ESP ®
is available again. G
Risk of accident
ESP ®
and therefore also BAS and PRE-SAFE ®
are unavailable
due to undervoltage.
The brake system continues to function normally, but without
the functions listed above.
X Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop immediately. If the display message is shown during the journey and the
d
warning lamp is flashing, then 4ETS (Electronic Traction
System) is deactivated. Otherwise, the brakes on the drive
wheels could overheat.
X Let the brakes cool down until the display message disap-
pears and the dwarning lamp goes out.
4ETS is activated again. ESP inopera‐
tive See
Owner's
Manual
G
Risk of accident
ESP ®
and therefore also Brake Assist and PRE-SAFE ®
are
unavailable due to a malfunction. The dwarning lamp also
lights up in the instrument cluster.
The brake system continues to function normally, but without
the functions listed above.
X Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop immediately. Select
position P only when
vehicle
is at a
standstill The vehicle is moving.
X
Pull over and stop the vehicle safely, paying attention to
road and traffic conditions.
X Move the selector lever to P.Vehicle not in
position P The driver's door is open and the automatic transmission is
in position R,Nor D.
X Move the selector lever to P.
X Engage the parking brake. Display
messages
215Practical advice
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Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
X
X Solutions ° Malfunc‐
tion The level control has malfunctioned.
X
Drive as appropriate for the current vehicle level, but do not
exceed 80 km/h.
X Make sure that there is sufficient ground clearance.
X Have the vehicle checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop. ° Rising
20 km/h max. The vehicle is being adjusted to off-road level 3. The display
message indicates the maximum speed allowed for off-road
level 3.
X
Do not exceed a maximum speed of 20 km/h. ° 20 km/h max. You are driving in off-road level 3. The display message indi-
cates the maximum speed allowed for off-road level 3.
X
Do not exceed a maximum speed of 20 km/h. Æ being low‐
ered
20 km/h max. The vehicle is being lowered from off-road level 3 to off-road
level 2. The display message indicates the maximum speed
allowed for off-road level 3.
X
Do not drive faster than 20 km/h until the vehicle has
reached off-road level 2. Æ Bring
speed
below
20 km/h
G
Risk of accident
You are exceeding the speed permissible for the selected off-
road level.
X Do not exceed a maximum speed of 20 km/h.
X Adjust your driving style to the altered handling character-
istics.
X Only make slight steering movements and avoid fast steer-
ing movements.
X Be aware of the altered handling characteristics. 8 Locking
system
inopera‐
tive Con‐
sult work‐
shop The differential locks are faulty.
X
Do not exceed a maximum speed of 80 km/h.
X Have the vehicle checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop. 222
Display
messagesPractical advice
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Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
X
X Solutions D Power
steering
malfunc‐
tion See
Owner's
Manual
G
Risk of accident
There is no power assistance for the steering. You will need
to use more force to steer.
X Check whether you are able to apply the extra force
required.
X If you are able to steer safely: carefully drive on to a
qualified specialist workshop.
X If you are unable to steer safely: do not drive on. Contact
the nearest qualified specialist workshop. b Left-hand
Cornering
light
or
Right-
hand Cor‐
nering
light
The left-hand or right-hand cornering lamp* is faulty.
X
Change the bulb ( Ypage 254). b Left-hand
dipped
beam
or
Right-
hand
dipped
beam The left-hand or right-hand dipped-beam headlamp is faulty.
X
Halogen headlamp: replace the bulb (Ypage 254).
X Bi-xenon headlamp*: visit a qualified specialist workshop. b AUTO
lights
inopera‐
tive The light sensor is faulty.
X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop. b Trailer
Left-hand
turn sig‐
nal
or
Trailer
Right-
hand turn
signal The left-hand or right-hand trailer turn signal lamp is faulty.
X
Change the bulb. b Trailer
brake lamp The trailer brake lamp is faulty.
X
Change the bulb. Display
messages
225Practical advice
* optional
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Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
X
X Solutions b Main
beam, left
or
Main
beam,
right The left-hand or right-hand main beam headlamp is faulty.
X
Halogen headlamp: replace the bulb (Ypage 254).
X Bi-xenon headlamp*: visit a qualified specialist workshop. b Licence
plate
lamp, left
or
Licence
plate
lamp,
right The left-hand or right-hand licence plate lamp is faulty.
X
Change the bulb ( Ypage 254). b Switch
off lights The lights are still switched on when you leave the vehicle.
X
Turn the light switch to $orÃ.
or
X If the rear foglamp is switched on: press the light switch in
to the stop. b Front fog‐
lamp, left
or
Front fog‐
lamp,
right The front left-hand or right-hand foglamp is faulty.
X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop. b Rear left-
hand fog‐
lamp
or
Rear
right-
hand fog‐
lamp The left-hand or right-hand rear foglamp is faulty.
X
Change the bulb ( Ypage 259). b Parking
lamp,
front left
or
Parking
lamp,
front
right The front left-hand or right-hand parking lamp is faulty.
X
Change the bulb ( Ypage 254). Display
messages
227Practical advice
* optional
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