MERCEDES-BENZ GL SUV 2009 Owners Manual

Making adjustments in 1 km/h incre-
ments X
Briefly press the cruise control lever to the
pressure point, up :for a higher speed or
down ?for a lower speed.
or
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed to the
pressure point until the desired speed is
set. Press the cruise control lever, up :
for a higher speed or down ?for a lower
speed.
Adjustment in 10 km/h increments X
Briefly press the cruise control lever
beyond the pressure point, up :for a
higher speed or down ?for a lower speed.
or
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed
beyond the pressure point until the desired
speed is set. Press the cruise control lever,
up : for a higher speed or down ?for a
lower speed.
Deactivating variable Speedtronic There are several ways to deactivate variable
Speedtronic:
X
Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards B.
The LIM indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
or
X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow A.
LIM indicator lamp ;in the cruise control
lever goes out. Variable Speedtronic is
deactivated.
Cruise control or Distronic* is selected.
Variable Speedtronic is deactivated automat-
ically when you depress the accelerator pedal
beyond the pressure point (kickdown), but
only if your current speed does not differ by
more than 20 km/h from the stored speed.
You will hear a warning tone if this is the case. G
Risk of accident
It is not possible to deactivate variable Speed-
tronic by braking.
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine.
Permanent Speedtronic i
Permanent Speedtronic is only available
in certain countries.
You can use the on-board computer to limit
the speed permanently to a value between
160 km/h (e.g. for driving with winter tyres)
and the maximum speed.
Just before the stored speed is reached, it
appears in the multi-function display.
Permanent Speedtronic remains active, even
if variable Speedtronic is deactivated.
You cannot exceed the stored limit speed,
even if you depress the accelerator pedal
beyond the pressure point (kickdown).
Setting permanent Speedtronic
X Press the VorU button to select the
Settings menu (Ypage 103).
X Press the &button to call up the selec-
tion of submenus.
X Press the WorX button to select the
Vehicle submenu.
X Press the &button to select Speed
limit (winter tyres). X
Press the WorX button to select the
desired setting.
The following settings can be selected:
R Off 128
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Permanent Speedtronic is deactivated.
R A limit speed between 240 km/hand
160 km/h in increments of 10 km/h. ADS (Adaptive Damping System)
ADS adapts the damping characteristics to
the current operating and driving situation.
How this is adjusted depends on:
R your driving style
R the road surface conditions
R the ADS setting
R the vehicle level setting
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the key from the ignition lock. You can choose between the following ADS
settings:
R
AUTO for normal driving situations; indica-
tor lamps ;and =are off.
R SPORT for sporty driving; indicator
lamp ;is on. In comparison to AUTOor
COMF, the vehicle is 15 mm lower.
R COMF for a more comfortable ride; indica-
tor lamp =is on.
X Start the engine.
X Press button :repeatedly until the
desired setting is selected. Level control
The level control adapts the vehicle level
automatically to the current operating and
driving situation. This results in reduced fuel
consumption and improved handling.
When you are driving in ADS COMForAUTO
ADS (Ypage 129), the vehicle is lowered to
the high-speed level as the speed increases.
As the vehicle decelerates, the vehicle is
raised back up to highway level.
In ADS SPORT (Ypage 129), the vehicle skips
highway level and is lowered directly to high-
speed level.
Make changes to the vehicle level while the
vehicle is in motion. This enables the vehicle
to adjust to the new level as quickly as pos-
sible.
The vehicle level may change visibly when you
park the vehicle and the outside temperature
changes. When the temperature drops, the
vehicle level is lower; with an increase in tem-
perature, the vehicle level rises.
When you unlock the vehicle or open a door,
the vehicle begins to balance the load dis-
crepancies while still parked. However, for
significant level changes, e.g. after the vehi-
cle has been stationary for a long period, the
engine must be on. For safety reasons, the
vehicle is only lowered when the doors are
closed. Lowering is interrupted if a door is
opened and continues when the door has
been closed. G
Risk of injury
Make sure that nobody is in the vicinity of the
wheel arch or the underbody when you begin
a level change. You could otherwise trap your-
self or others. G
Risk of accident
Always select as low a vehicle level as possi-
ble. If the vehicle level is high, the vehicle
centre of gravity shifts upwards. This increa-
ses the risk of the vehicle tipping over. Driving systems
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Adapt your driving style to suit the vehicle
level. ESP ®
cannot reduce the risk of an acci-
dent if you drive too fast. ESP ®
cannot over-
ride the laws of physics.
! When driving on extremely rough terrain,
select a high vehicle level in good time.
Make sure there is always sufficient ground
clearance to prevent damage to the vehi-
cle.
You will find information about driving off-
road in the "Operation" section
(Y page 188).
Basic settings The extent to which the vehicle is raised or
lowered depends on the basic setting selec-
ted.
Select:
R Off-road level 3 for freeing the vehicle in
impassable terrain at low speeds only
R Off-road level 2 for driving on normal off-
road terrain
R Off-road level 1 for driving on easily nego-
tiable off-road terrain
R Highway/high-speed level for normal roads
The individual vehicle levels are:
R Off-road level 3: 90 mm above highway
level
R Off-road level 2: 60 mm above highway
level
R Off-road level 1: 30 mm above highway
level
R Highway level: +/- 0 mm
R High-speed level: 15 mm below highway
level Off-road levels G
Risk of accident
Off-road level 3 is not permitted for use on
public roads. Off-road level 3 gives your vehi-
cle a very high centre of gravity. This increa-
ses the risk of the vehicle tipping over.
R Only select off-road level 3 for driving off-
road in particularly rough terrain.
R Adjust your driving style to the altered han-
dling characteristics.
R Do not drive faster than 20 km/h.
R Avoid sudden major steering movements.
R Take account of the altered handling char-
acteristics.
If you are driving too fast in off-road level 3,
the Bring speed below 20 km/h message
appears in the multi-function display. You
additionally hear a warning tone. The vehicle
is lowered.
i You cannot clear these messages.
Only select an off-road level when this is
appropriate for the road conditions. Other-
wise, fuel consumption increases and han-
dling performance may be affected.
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the key from the ignition lock. 130
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X
Start the engine.
X Turn selector wheel :clockwise.
The vehicle is raised.
or
X Turn selector wheel ;anti-clockwise.
The vehicle is lowered.
Indicator lamps =for the desired off-road
level flash:
R Off-road level 1: the lower indicator lamp
flashes
R Off-road level 2: the lower and centre indi-
cator lamps flash
R Off-road level 3: all three indicator lamps
flash
The vehicle is being adjusted to the off-road
level selected. As soon as an off-road level is
reached, the corresponding indicator lamp
stops flashing and lights up constantly.
While the adjustment is taking place, a mes-
sage appears in the multi-function display,
e.g.: The vehicle rises from highway level to off-
road level 1.
If you press the
WorX button on the
multi-function steering wheel, the messages
will disappear.
Once off-road level 2 has been reached, you
will see a message in the multi-function dis-
play, for example: Lower and centre indicator lamps
=are on. If you have not previously selected the off-
road menu (Y
page 102) in the on-board com-
puter, the message disappears after about
five seconds.
The 20km/h max. message draws your atten-
tion to the maximum speed permitted for off-
road level 3.
While the adjustment from off-road level 2 to
off-road level 3 is taking place, you will see a
message such as the following in the multi-
function display: Once off-road level 3 has been reached, you
will see a message in the multi-function dis-
play, for example:
If you drive above 20 km/h in off-road level
3, you will see the following message in the
multi-function display:
Off-road level 3 is cancelled.
If you then increase the speed again, the mes-
sage remains in the multi-function display.
The newly set level is not displayed until the
vehicle has been set to a level suitable for the
current speed. Driving systems
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If you maintain or reduce your speed, you will
see a message such as the following in the
display while the vehicle is being lowered: The vehicle is lowered to off-road level 2.
Once off-road level 2 has been reached, you
will see a message in the multi-function dis-
play, for example: If you select an off-road level when driving at
too high a speed, the Level selection
not permitted message appears in the
multi-function display.
You can select the following:
R Off-road level 1 at speeds up to
100 km/h
R Off-road level 2 at speeds up to 70 km/h
R Off-road level 3 at speeds up to 20 km/h
If you are driving above 90 km/h or drive
between 70 km/h and 90 km/h for longer
than 20 seconds, off-road level 2 will be can-
celled. The vehicle is lowered to off-road
level 1.
You will see a message in the multi-function
display, for example: If you are driving above 115 km/h or drive
between 100 km/h and 115 km/h for longer
than 20 seconds, off-road level 1 will be can-
celled. The vehicle is lowered to highway
level.
You will see a message in the multi-function
display, for example:
Depending on the ADS basic setting
(Y
page 129), the vehicle is lowered to high-
speed level at high speeds. The vehicle auto-
matically selects highway level when you are
driving at speeds below 40 km/h again or if
you drive at between 40 km/h and 70 km/h
for around 20 seconds.
Highway/high-speed level !
Make sure there is enough ground clear-
ance when the vehicle is being lowered. It
could otherwise hit the ground, damaging
the underbody. :
To raise the level
; To lower the level
= Indicator lamps
X Start the engine. 132
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If one or more indicator lamps
=are on:
X Turn the selector wheel anti-clockwise ;
until all indicator lamps =that are lit start
to flash.
The vehicle is lowered to highway level. As
soon as the next lowest level is reached,
the indicator lamp stops flashing and goes
out.
While the adjustment is taking place, a mes-
sage appears in the multi-function display,
e.g.: If you press the
WorX button on the
multi-function steering wheel, the messages
will disappear.
Once highway level has been reached, all indi-
cator lamps =go out. You will see a message
in the multi-function display, for example: If you have not previously selected the off-
road menu (Y
page 102) in the on-board com-
puter, the message disappears after about
five seconds.
The vehicle automatically selects highway
level if you are driving at a speed above
115 km/h or if you drive at between
100 km/h and 115 km/h for around 20 sec-
onds. Depending on the ADS basic setting
(Y page 129), the vehicle is lowered to high-
speed level at high speeds. PARKTRONIC*
G
Risk of accident
PARKTRONIC is only an aid and may not
detect all obstacles. It is not a substitute for
attentive driving.
You are always responsible for safety and
must continue to pay attention to your imme-
diate surroundings when parking and
manoeuvring. You could otherwise endanger
yourself and others. G
Risk of injury
Make sure that no persons or animals are in
the manoeuvring range. Otherwise, they
could be injured.
PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid
using ultrasound. It indicates visually and
audibly the distance between your vehicle
and an object.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when
you:
R switch on the ignition
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission to D,Ror
N
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
18 km/h. It is reactivated at lower speeds.
PARKTRONIC monitors the area around your
vehicle using six sensors in the front bumper
and four sensors in the rear bumper. :
Example: sensors in the front bumper,
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Range of the sensors
The sensors must be free of dirt, ice and
slush; otherwise, they may not function cor-
rectly. Clean the sensors regularly, taking
care not to scratch or damage them
(Y page 203). Side view
Top view
Front sensors
Centre Approximately 100 cm
Corners Approximately 60 cm
Rear sensors
Centre Approximately 120 cm
Corners Approximately 80 cm
!
When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer towbars. PARK-
TRONIC does not detect such objects when
they are in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle. You could damage the vehicle or
the objects.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic
car wash, a lorry's compressed-air brakes
or a pneumatic drill could cause PARK-
TRONIC to malfunction.
Minimum distance Centre Approximately 20 cm
Corners Approximately 15 cm
If there is an obstacle within this range, all
warning displays light up and a tone sounds.
If the distance falls below the minimum clear-
ance, it may no longer be shown.
Warning displays The warning displays show the distance
between the sensors and the obstacle. The
warning display for the front area is located
on the dashboard above the centre air vents.
The warning display for the rear area is in the
roof lamp in the rear compartment. Warning display for front area
:
Left-hand side of the vehicle
; Right-hand side of the vehicle
= Indicator segments
The warning display for each side of the vehi-
cle is divided into five yellow and two red seg-
ments. PARKTRONIC is operational if yellow
indicator segments =light up. 134
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The automatic transmission position deter-
mines which warning display is active when
the engine is running:
Automatic trans-
mission position Warning display
D
Front area activated
R
or N Rear and front areas
activated
P
No areas activated
One or more segments light up as the vehicle
approaches an obstacle, depending on the
vehicle's distance to the obstacle.
From the:
R sixth segment onwards, you will hear an
intermittent warning tone for approx-
imately two seconds.
R seventh segment onwards, you will hear a
warning tone for approximately two sec-
onds. You have reached the minimum dis-
tance.
Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC :
To deactivate/activate PARKTRONIC
; Indicator lamp
If indicator lamp ;is on, PARKTRONIC is
deactivated. Trailer towing* PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area
when you establish an electrical connection
between your vehicle and a trailer.
!
Remove the detachable trailer coupling if
it is no longer required. PARKTRONIC
measures the minimum detection range to
an obstacle from the bumper, not the ball
coupling. Reversing camera*
The reversing camera is an optical aid. It
shows the area behind your vehicle in the
COMAND APS display. G
Risk of injury
Make sure that no persons or animals are in
the manoeuvring range. Otherwise, they
could be injured.
The reversing camera is located in the handle
strip of the tailgate. :
Reversing camera
View through the camera The area behind the vehicle is displayed in a
mirrored fashion, as in the rear-view mirror.
G
Risk of accident
The reversing camera is only an aid and may
display obstacles in a distorted or incorrect
manner, or may not even display them at all.
The reversing camera does not relieve you of Driving systems
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the responsibility to pay attention. The cam-
era cannot show objects:
R very near to the rear bumper
R below the rear bumper
R that are located above the tailgate handle
recess
You are always responsible for safety and
must continue to pay attention to your imme-
diate surroundings when parking and
manoeuvring. This applies to the areas
behind, in front of and next to the vehicle. You
could otherwise endanger yourself and oth-
ers. G
Risk of accident
Under the following circumstances, the
reversing camera will not function, or function
in a limited manner:
R if the tailgate is open
R in heavy rain, snow or fog
R at night or in very dark places
R if the camera is exposed to very bright light R
if the area is lit by fluorescent light (the dis-
play may flicker)
R if there is a sudden change in temperature,
e.g. when driving into a heated garage in
winter
R if the camera lens is dirty or obstructed
R if the rear of your vehicle is damaged. In this
event have the camera position and setting
checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use
a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this
purpose.
Do not use the reversing camera in these
types of situation. You could, otherwise,
injure others or damage objects and your
vehicle while you are parking.
Activating the reversing camera X
Make sure that the key is in position 2in
the ignition lock.
X Engage reverse gear.
The area behind the vehicle is shown in the
COMAND APS display. Air conditioning
Overview of air-conditioning systems
The vehicle is equipped with one of the following air-conditioning systems: Thermatic 2-zone automatic climate control
Front control unit Thermatic 2-zone automatic climate control
combines an automatic heating and ventila-
tion system with a cooling system. You can
control the temperature separately for the
driver's and front-passenger sides.136
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Thermotronic multi-zone luxury automatic climate control*
Front control unit
Rear control panel* Thermotronic multi-zone luxury automatic
climate control combines an automatic heat-
ing and ventilation system with a cooling sys-
tem. The temperature and air distribution
can be adjusted separately for the driver's
and front-passenger side as well as for the
rear compartment. You can control the air-
flow separately for the front and rear com-
partments. General notes
Thermatic 2-zone automatic climate control/
Thermotronic luxury multi-zone automatic cli-
mate control* controls the temperature and
the humidity of the vehicle interior and filters
out undesirable substances from the air.
Thermatic 2-zone automatic climate control/
Thermotronic luxury multi-zone automatic cli-
mate control* is only operational when the
engine is running. 25
Optimum operation is
only achieved when you drive with the side
windows and sliding/tilting sunroof* closed.
i Ventilate the vehicle for a brief period
during warm weather, e.g. using the con-
venience opening feature (Y page 87). This
will speed up the cooling process and the
desired vehicle interior temperature will be
reached more quickly. i
The integrated filter can filter out most
particles of dust and completely filters out
pollen. A clogged filter reduces the amount
of air supplied to the vehicle interior. For
this reason, you should always observe the
interval for replacing the filter, which is
specified in the Service Booklet. As it
depends on environmental conditions, e.g.
heavy air pollution, the interval may be
shorter than stated in the Service Booklet. G
Risk of accident
Observe the recommended settings on the
following pages. Otherwise, the windows
could mist up. This may prevent you from
observing the traffic conditions, thereby caus-
ing an accident.
25 The "residual heat" function can only be switched on/off when the ignition is switched off. Air conditioning
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