stop start MERCEDES-BENZ GL SUV 2009 User Guide

Changing gears
The automatic transmission shifts into indi-
vidual gears automatically. This automatic
gearshifting behaviour is determined by:
R
drive position D(Y page 93) with shift
ranges 6,5,4,3,2and 1(Y page 94)
R the selected drive program
(S/M) (Ypage 95)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
(Y page 94)
R the road speed
R select a possible shift range restriction
In drive position D, you can use the DIRECT
SELECT steering wheel gearshift paddle
(Y page 94) to influence the gearshifts
made by the automatic transmission and shift
gear yourself.
Gear indicator The current gear is shown in the multi-func-
tion display.
:
Gear indicator
! If the gear indicator in the multi-function
display is not working, you should pull away
carefully to check whether the desired gear
is engaged. Ideally, you should select posi-
tion Dand drive program S*. Do not restrict
the shift range. Transmission positions B
Park position
Prevents the vehicle from rolling
away when stopped. Only select
P
when your vehicle is stationary.
If you switch off the engine using
the key and then remove the key or
open one of the front doors, the
automatic transmission will auto-
matically shift to park position P.
If you switch off the engine using
the Start/Stop button and open
the driver's door, the automatic
transmission automatically shifts
to park position P. C
Reverse gear
Only shift the automatic transmis-
sion to
Rwhen the vehicle is sta-
tionary. A
Neutral
Do not shift the automatic trans-
mission to
Nwhile you are driving.
Otherwise, the automatic trans-
mission could be damaged.
If you switch off the engine using
the key or the Start/Stop button,
the automatic transmission auto-
matically shifts to neutral N.
If ESP ®
is deactivated or faulty,
only shift the automatic transmis-
sion to Nif the vehicle is in danger
of skidding, e.g. on icy roads. 7
Drive
The automatic transmission
changes gear automatically. All
forward gears are available. Transmission
93Controls
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Drive program
Sis characterised by the fol-
lowing:
R sporty engine and suspension configura-
tion
R the vehicle pulling away in first gear
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later
R the late shift point of the automatic trans-
mission can lead to higher fuel consump-
tion
If you have selected transmission position D,
you can activate the manual drive program
and shift up or down through the individual
gears. The gear currently selected and
engaged is shown in the multi-function dis-
play.
X To deactivate: press program selector
button :repeatedly until Sor Mappears
in the multi-function display.
or
X Restart the engine.
The automatic transmission then switches
to the automatic drive program.
Upshifting
X Pull right-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle (Y page 94).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
Downshifting G
Risk of accident
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid.
X Pull left-hand steering wheel gearshift pad-
dle (Y page 95).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
i If you brake the vehicle or stop without
shifting down, the automatic transmission will shift down to a gear that will allow the
vehicle to accelerate or pull away again.
Kickdown
You can also use kickdown for maximum
acceleration in manual drive program M.
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
X Shift back up once the desired speed is
reached.
i If you apply full throttle, the automatic
transmission shifts up to the next gear
when the maximum engine speed is
reached. This prevents the engine from
overrevving. Instrument cluster
Points to remember
You will find an illustration of the instrument
cluster in the "At a glance" section
(Y page 25). G
Risk of accident
No further messages can be displayed if the
instrument cluster and/or the multi-function
display fails.
This means that you will not see information
about the driving situation, such as the speed,
outside temperature, warning/indicator
lamps, display messages or system failures.
The vehicle's handling characteristics may be
affected. Adjust your driving style and speed
accordingly.
Immediately consult a qualified specialist
workshop which has the necessary specialist
knowledge and tools to carry out the work
required. Mercedes-Benz recommends that
you use a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for
this purpose. In particular, work relevant to
safety or on safety-related systems must be
carried out at a qualified specialist workshop. 96
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do not switch the automatic transmission to
another gear.
If you do not wait for the gear change process
to complete, it may not be correctly imple-
mented. The transfer case may then be in
neutral and the connection between the
engine and the drive axles may be disen-
gaged. The vehicle could then move freely,
even if a gear is engaged, and could inadver-
tently start moving, particularly if it is on a
slope.
Observe the messages in the multi-function
display.
From HIGH RANGE to LOW RANGE
! Only carry out the gear change process if:
R the engine is running
R the automatic transmission is in N
R you are not driving above 40 km/h
X Press LOW RANGE button :.
Indicator lamp ;flashes. LOW RANGE
indicator =appears in the multi-function
display.
When the gear change is complete, indica-
tor lamp ;lights up. While indicator lamp
;is flashing, you can
cancel the gear change by pressing LOW
RANGE button :again.
From LOW RANGE to HIGH RANGE
! Only carry out the gear change process if:
R the engine is running
R the automatic transmission is in N
R you are not driving above 70 km/h
X Press LOW RANGE button :.
Indicator lamp ;flashes.
If the gear change process has taken place,
indicator lamp ;and LOW RANGE indica-
tor =in the multi-function display go out.
While indicator lamp ;is flashing, you can
cancel the gear change by pressing LOW
RANGE button :again.
Messages in the multi-function display
If a gear change process has not been suc-
cessful, the following messages may be dis-
played in the multi-function display:
R Max. speed 40 km/h
You have been driving faster than
40 km/h. Indicator lamp ;also flashes.
X Drive more slowly to carry out the gear
change process.
R Engage N briefly
The automatic transmission is in Dand you
are now driving below 40 km/h.
XMove the DIRECT SELECT lever to Nto
carry out the gear change process.
R Shifting process cancelled Reacti‐
vate
The gear change process was not carried
out.
XMaintain all gear change conditions
and carry out the gear change process
again.
R Stop vehicle. Apply parking brake Off-road driving
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An acoustic warning will also sound. The
gear change process has not been comple-
ted. LOW RANGE is in the neutral position.
There is no connection between the engine
and the drive wheels.
! Do not drive any further, otherwise you
could damage the vehicle's drive train.
XStop the vehicle. Take into account the
road and traffic conditions when doing
this.
X Depress the parking brake.
X Carry out the gear change process
again.
If the gear change process has been
carried out, the Stop vehicle. Apply
parking brake message disappears. Differential locks
Differential locks improve the vehicle’s trac-
tion.
Your vehicle is equipped with the following:
R A differential lock for the transfer box: this
controls the balance between the front and
rear axles.
R A differential lock for the rear axle: this
controls the balance between the wheels
and the rear axle.
4ETS (Y page 53) controls the compensation
between the wheels and the front axle.
Engaging the differential locks Automatic mode
Use automatic mode
;for all driving situa-
tions, including driving off-road or when ford-
ing.
In automatic mode, the differential locks are
engaged and disengaged according to driving
requirements. This guarantees sufficient trac-
tion for most driving situations with unrestric-
ted vehicle steerability.
X Start the engine.
The differential locks are in automatic
mode. The indicator lamp in selector
wheel :lights up above symbol for auto-
matic mode ;.
Engaging manually G
Risk of accident
When driving on a firm road surface, only drive
in automatic mode, never with manually
engaged differential locks. If differential locks
have been engaged manually, the vehicle's
steerability is greatly impaired and the risk of
an accident thereby increased.
Do not manually engage or disengage the dif-
ferential locks while cornering. The vehicle
motion could otherwise be jerky. You could
lose control of the vehicle as a result and
cause an accident.
Only engage the differential locks manually if
traction in automatic mode is insufficient.
At speeds of up to 30 km/h, you can engage
the differential locks by hand.
X Start the engine.
X Turn selector wheel :to desired position
= or?.
The indicator lamp in selector wheel :
lights up at the corresponding symbol. 116
Off-road drivingControls
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X
Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?or press it up :or down Ato the
pressure point.
Distronic is activated.
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed
up : or down Auntil the desired speed
is set.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to that of the
vehicle in front, but only up to the stored
speed.
i You can use the cruise control lever to set
the stored speed and the thumbwheel on
the cruise control lever to set the specified
minimum distance (Y page 123).
i If you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DISTRONIC Override message
appears in the multi-function display. The
distance to a slower-moving vehicle in front
will then not be governed. You will be driv-
ing at the speed you determine by the posi-
tion of the accelerator pedal.
Driving
If there is no vehicle in front, Distronic oper-
ates in the same way as cruise control.
If a slower-moving vehicle is detected in front,
Distronic causes your vehicle to brake and
maintain the preset distance to the vehicle in
front.
If Distronic detects a faster-moving vehicle in
front, it increases the driving speed, but only
as far as the stored speed. G
Risk of accident
If you depress the brake pedal, Distronic is
deactivated. Distronic will then no longer
brake your vehicle. The driver is fully respon-
sible for the vehicle's distance from other
vehicles, its speed and for braking in good
time. Stopping G
Risk of accident
The Distronic braking effect is cancelled and
the vehicle can start moving if:
R Distronic is deactivated using the cruise
control lever.
R you accelerate.
R the system or the power supply is disrup-
ted, e.g. due to battery failure.
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment or the fuses have been tampered
with.
R the battery is disconnected. G
Risk of accident
Distronic must never be operated or deacti-
vated by a passenger or from outside the vehi-
cle.
If you wish to leave the vehicle or park it,
deactivate Distronic and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
If Distronic detects that the vehicle in front is
stopping, it brakes your vehicle until it is sta-
tionary.
i Depending on the specified minimum dis-
tance, your vehicle will come to a standstill
about four metres behind the vehicle in
front. The specified minimum distance is
set using the thumbwheel on the cruise-
control lever.
Distronic is deactivated automatically when
stopping:
R on flat stretches of road or on downhill gra-
dients when the vehicle is stationary.
R while the vehicle is still moving on uphill
gradients, to prevent the vehicle from unex-
pectedly rolling back when Distronic is
deactivated.
If Distronic is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away. 122
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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 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,
left-hand side Driving systems
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G
Risk of injury
Children could injure themselves if they oper-
ate the sliding sunroof.
Never leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle. Always take the key with you when leaving
the vehicle, even if you are only leaving it for
a short time. G
Risk of injury
The glass in the panorama sunroof could
break in an accident. If you are not wearing a
seat belt, there is a risk that you could be
thrown through the opening in the event of the
vehicle overturning. Therefore, always wear a
seat belt to reduce the risk of injuries.
! Only open the panorama sliding sunroof
if it is free of snow and ice. Otherwise, mal-
functions may occur.
Do not allow anything to protrude from the
sliding sunroof. The seals could otherwise
be damaged.
i When the sliding sunroof is open, apart
from the normal airflow noises resonance
noises may also occur. They are caused by
minor pressure fluctuations in the vehicle
interior. Change the position of the sliding
sunroof or open a side window slightly to
reduce or eliminate these noises.
i Related topics:
R convenience opening from the out-
side (Y page 87) or from the inside
(Y page 147)
R convenience closing from the out-
side (Y page 87) or from the inside
(Y page 147)
R automatic closing of the sliding sunroof
(PRE-SAFE*) (Y page 40) Sliding/tilting sunroof*
Overhead control panel
:
To open
; To close/lower
= To raise
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Pull or push the switch in the corresponding
direction.
i If you press the switch beyond the point
of resistance, an automatic opening/clos-
ing process is started in the corresponding
direction. You can stop automatic opera-
tion by pressing again.
The sun protection cover automatically opens
along with the sliding/tilting sunroof. Once
you have closed the sliding/tilting sunroof,
you can close the cover by hand.
Closing with increased force and with-
out the anti-entrapment feature G
Risk of injury
You could be severely or even fatally injured
when closing the sliding/tilting sunroof with
increased force or without the anti-entrap-
ment feature. Make sure that nobody can
become trapped when closing the sliding/tilt-
ing sunroof.
If the sliding/tilting sunroof locks up during
closing:
X Immediately after it locks up, pull the
switch again to the pressure point in the 150
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temperature, or for about 30 minutes if the
engine is not at normal operating temper-
ature (if you had started the engine only
briefly), before measuring.
i If you wish to cancel the measurement,
press the *or& button on the multi-
function steering wheel.
Using the oil dipstick Vehicles with a petrol/diesel engine (example)
X Pull oil dipstick :out of the oil dipstick
tube.
X Wipe off oil dipstick :.
X Insert oil dipstick :into the oil dipstick
tube to the stop, and take it out again.
The oil level is correct if the level is between
the minimum mark =and maximum
mark ;.
X Top up the oil if necessary.
Topping up the engine oil H
Environmental note
When topping up the oil, take care not to spill
any. Oil must not be allowed to escape into
the soil or waterways. You would otherwise be
damaging the environment. Cap (example)
X
Turn cap :anti-clockwise and remove.
X Top up with the amount of oil required
(Y page 289).
i The difference in quantity between the
minimum mark and maximum mark is
approximately 2 litres.
! Do not add too much oil. If too much oil
is added and the oil level is above the max-
imum mark on the dipstick, the engine or
catalytic converter could be damaged.
Have excess oil siphoned off.
X Replace cap :on the filler neck and
tighten clockwise.
Ensure that the cap locks into place
securely.
For further information on engine oil, see
(Y page 289). Coolant
Only check the coolant level when the vehicle
is on a level surface and the engine has cooled
down.
X Turn the key to position 2(Y page 63) in
the ignition lock.
X Check the coolant temperature gauge in
the multi-function display. G
Risk of injury
The cooling system is pressurised. Therefore,
only unscrew the cap once the engine has Engine compartment
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mum permissible speed for the winter tyres
(Y page 128).
Once you have fitted the winter tyres:
X Check the tyre pressures (Y page 180).
X Restart the tyre pressure moni-
tor* (Y page 183). G
Risk of accident
If you fit the spare wheel* when driving with
winter tyres, bear in mind that driving stability
will be impaired owing to unstable cornering
characteristics caused by the different tyres.
You should therefore adapt your driving style
and drive carefully.
Have the spare wheel* replaced at the near-
est qualified specialist workshop which has
the necessary specialist knowledge and tools
to carry out the work required. Mercedes-
Benz recommends that you use a Mercedes-
Benz Service Centre for this purpose. In par-
ticular, work relevant to safety or on safety-
related systems must be carried out at a quali-
fied specialist workshop. Snow chains
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use snow chains which
have been specially approved for your vehicle
by Mercedes-Benz, or are of a corresponding
standard of quality.
! Do not drive in ADS SPORTmode when
driving with snow chains fitted.
If you intend to fit snow chains, please bear
the following points in mind:
R you may not attach snow chains to all
wheel-tyre combinations; see the "Tyres and wheels" section in the "Technical data"
chapter.
R snow chains must not be fitted to emer-
gency spare wheels, e.g. a "Minispare"
emergency spare wheel.
R Fit snow chains only in pairs and only to the
rear wheels. Comply with the manufactur-
er's installation instructions.
Do not exceed the maximum permissible
speed of 50 km/h.
i You may wish to deactivate ESP ®
when
pulling away with snow chains fitted
(Y page 51). This way, you can allow the
wheels to spin in a controlled manner, ach-
ieving an increased driving force (cutting
action). Winter driving
G
Risk of accident
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid.
You should drive particularly carefully on slip-
pery road surfaces. Avoid sudden accelera-
tion, steering and braking manoeuvres.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Shift the selector lever to N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control by
using corrective steering. Driving tips
Rolling with the engine switched off
G
Risk of accident
Never switch the engine off while the vehicle
is in motion.
There is no power assistance for the steering
and the service brake when the engine is not
running. 186
Driving tipsOperation
* optional
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