light MERCEDES-BENZ GL SUV 2009 Owner's Manual

the
4 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning
lamp is not lit.
To alert you to this danger, a corresponding
warning sticker is located on the dashboard
and on both sides of the sun visor on the front-
passenger side.
Information about recommended child
restraint systems is available at any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Automatic child seat recognition on the
front-passenger seat
If your vehicle does not have automatic child
seat recognition on the front-passenger seat,
this is indicated by a special sticker. The
sticker is affixed to the side of the dashboard
on the front-passenger side. It is visible when
you open the front-passenger door.
The warning lamp 3
is located on the centre
console. The sensors for the automatic child seat rec-
ognition on the front-passenger seat detects
whether a special Mercedes-Benz child seat
with automatic child seat recognition has
been fitted. In such cases, 4PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF warning lamp :lights up. The
front-passenger front airbag is disabled. G
Risk of injury
If the 4 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning
lamp does not light up when the child restraint
system is fitted, the front-passenger front air- bag has not been disabled. If the front-
passenger front airbag is deployed, the child
could be seriously or even fatally injured.
Proceed as follows:
R
do not use a rearward-facing child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat.
R fit a rearward-facing child restraint system
on a suitable rear seat.
or
R only use a forward-facing child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat and
move the front-passenger seat to its rear-
most position.
R have the automatic child seat recognition
checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
To ensure that the automatic child seat rec-
ognition on the front-passenger seat func-
tions correctly, never place objects (such as
a cushion) under the child restraint system.
The entire base of the child restraint system
must always rest on the seat cushion. An
incorrectly fitted child restraint system can-
not perform its intended protective function
in the event of an accident, and could lead to
injuries.
i The windowbag, the sidebag and the belt
tensioner on the front-passenger side are
still active even if the front-passenger front
airbag is disabled by the automatic child-
seat recognition on the front-passenger
seat. G
Risk of injury
Do not place electronic devices on the front-
passenger seat, e.g.:
R laptops, when switched on
R mobile phones
R cards with transponders, e.g. ski passes or
access cards
3 Vehicles without automatic child seat recognition in the front-passenger seat: the warning lamp lights up
briefly when you turn the key to position 2 in the ignition lock. However, it has no function and does not
indicate that there is automatic child seat recognition on the front-passenger seat. Occupant safety
43Safety
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Signals from electronic equipment can cause
interference in the automatic child seat rec-
ognition sensor system. This could lead to a
system malfunction. This may cause the
4 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning lamp
to light up without there being a child seat
with automatic child seat recognition fitted. This means that the front-passenger front air-
bag will not deploy during an accident. It is
also possible that the 6SRS warning lamp
lights up and/or the 4PASSENGER AIR-
BAG OFF warning lamp does not light up
briefly when you turn the key in the ignition
lock to position 2.
Suitable positioning of the child restraint system Weight categories and ages Group 0: up to 10 kg
Up to approximately
9 months Group 0+: up to 13 kg
up to approximately
18 months
Child restraint system on the
front-passenger seat Vehicles with automatic
child seat recognition* on
the front-passenger seat: as
recommended
4 Vehicles with automatic
child seat recognition* on
the front-passenger seat:
as recommended
4 Child restraint system on the
left-hand and right-hand rear
seats and the third row of
seats*. Universal Universal
Child restraint system on the
centre rear seat - -
Weight categories and ages Group I: 9 to 18 kg
between approximately
8 months and 4 years Group II/III: 15 to 36 kg;
between approximately
3½ and 12 years
Child restraint system on the
front-passenger seat As recommended
5 As recommended
5 Child restraint system on the
left-hand and right-hand rear
seats and the third row of
seats*. Universal Universal
Child restraint system on the
centre rear seat Britax-Römer DUO PLUS Britax-Römer KID
4
Only use child restraint systems with automatic child seat recognition.
5 If you are using a child restraint system without automatic child seat recognition, move the front-passenger
seat to its rearmost position. 44
Occupant safetySafety
* optional
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X
Hook TopTether hook* Ainto TopTether
anchorage ?.
X Tighten TopTether belt* B. Comply with
the manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions.
X Move head restraint =back down again
slightly if necessary (Y page 68). Make
sure that you do not interfere with the cor-
rect routing of TopTether belt* B.
Child-proof locks If children are travelling in the vehicle, you can
activate the child-proof locks for the rear
doors.
Child-proof locks for the rear doors
The child-proof locks on the rear doors enable
you to secure each door individually. A locked
door cannot be opened from the inside. The
door can be opened from the outside if the
vehicle is unlocked.
G
Risk of accident and injury
Activate the child-proof locks for the rear
doors and the override switch for the rear
windows if children are travelling in the vehi-
cle. Otherwise, the children could open doors
or windows while the vehicle is in motion and
injure themselves or others. X
To activate: press latch;downwards.
X Make sure that the child-proof locks are
working properly.
X To deactivate: press latch:upwards. Override feature for the rear side win-
dows G
Risk of accident and injury
Activate the child-proof locks for the rear
doors and the override switch for the rear
windows if children are travelling in the vehi-
cle. Otherwise, the children could open doors
or windows while the vehicle is in motion and
injure themselves or others. X
To activate: press button :.
Button :engages. The rear side windows
can only be operated using the switches on
the driver's door.
X To deactivate: press button:.
Button :pops out and is flush with the
other buttons. You can operate the rear
side windows using the switches in the rear
compartment. Driving safety systems
Overview of driving safety systems
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
R ABS ( Anti-lock Braking System)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System)
R Adaptive brake lamps
R ESP ®
( Electronic Stability Program)
R EBV (electronic brake-power distribution) Driving safety systems
49Safety
* optional
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effect. However, braking force is not auto-
matically increased in emergency braking sit-
uations and the stopping distance may
increase. Adaptive brake lamps
i Adaptive brake lamps are only available in
certain countries.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 25 km/ho r if braking is assisted by BAS,
the brake lamps flash rapidly. In this way,
traffic travelling behind you is warned in an
even more noticeable manner.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 70 km/h to a standstill, the hazard warn-
ing lamps are activated automatically. If the
brakes are applied again, the brake lamps
light up continuously. The hazard warning
lamps switch off automatically if you travel
faster than 10 km/h. You can also switch off
the hazard warning lamps using the hazard
warning switch button (Y page 81).ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission between tyres and
the road surface.
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilise the
vehicle. If necessary, the engine output is also
modified to keep the vehicle on the desired
course within physical limits. ESP ®
assists
the driver when pulling away on wet or slip-
pery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilise the vehi-
cle during braking.
When ESP ®
intervenes, the dwarning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster. G
Risk of accident
If the d warning lamp in the instrument
cluster flashes, proceed as follows: R
do not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum-
stances.
R only depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
R adapt your driving style to suit the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
Otherwise, the vehicle could skid.
ESP ®
cannot reduce the risk of an accident if
you drive too fast. ESP ®
cannot override the
laws of physics.
! Only operate the vehicle briefly (for a max-
imum of ten seconds) on a brake dyna-
mometer. Turn the key in the ignition lock
to position 0or 1. You could otherwise
damage the drive train or the brake system.
! A function or performance test should
only be carried out on a twin-axle dyna-
mometer. If you wish to operate the vehicle
on such a dynamometer, please consult a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre in advance.
You could otherwise damage the drive train
or the brake system.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation If your trailer begins to lurch, you can only
stabilise the vehicle/trailer combination by
depressing the brake firmly.
In this situation, ESP
®
assists you and can
detect when the trailer begins to lurch.
ESP ®
slows the vehicle down by braking and
limiting the engine output until the vehicle/
trailer combination has stabilised.
Trailer stabilisation is active above speeds of
about 65 km/h. G
Risk of accident
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilisation will not be able to prevent Driving safety systems
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the trailer from swerving and will thus be
unable to reduce the risk of an accident. Trail-
ers with a high centre of gravity can tip over
before ESP ®
can detect this.
Trailer stabilisation does not work if ESP ®
is
deactivated or disabled because of a mal-
function.
Activating/deactivating ESP ®ESP
®
is activated automatically when the
engine is running.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel G
Risk of accident
Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehicle
if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts
to spin.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R the engine's torque is no longer limited and
the drive wheels can spin. Spinning of the
wheels results in a cutting action, which
provides better grip.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
i If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more
wheels start to spin, the dwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster flashes. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehi-
cle. X
To deactivate: press button:.
The d warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up. G
Risk of accident
If the d warning lamp in the instrument
cluster is continuously lit when the engine is
running, ESP ®
is deactivated or not available
due to a malfunction. There is an increased
risk of your vehicle skidding in certain situa-
tions.
You should always adapt your driving style to
suit prevailing road and weather conditions.
X To activate: press button :.
The d warning lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
Off-road ESP ® An ESP
®
system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically if the LOW
RANGE off-road gear (Y page 114) is selec-
ted. It intervenes with a delay if there is over-
steering or understeering, thus improving
traction. EBV (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
EBV monitors and controls the brake pres-
sure on the rear wheels to improve driving
stability when braking. 52
Driving safety systemsSafety
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G
Risk of accident
If EBV is malfunctioning, the brake system is
still available with full brake boosting effect.
However, the rear wheels can still lock, e.g.
under full braking. This could cause you to
lose control of your vehicle and cause an acci-
dent. You should therefore adapt your driving
style to the different handling characteristics. 4ETS (Electronic Traction System)
4ETS makes it possible to pull away or accel-
erate on a slippery surface. It brakes the
wheels individually if they start to spin.
The d warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up briefly when the engine is
started. This indicates that the warning lamp
is operational.
X Activate the LOW RANGE off-road gear
(Y page 114) if appropriate to driving con-
ditions.
The d warning lamp in the instrument
cluster flashes at any speed if at least one tyre
has exceeded its tyre grip limit. G
Risk of accident
If the d warning lamp in the instrument
cluster flashes, proceed as follows:
R only depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
R accelerate less when driving.
R adapt your driving style to suit the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
Otherwise, the vehicle could skid.
If you drive too fast, 4ETS cannot reduce the
risk of an accident. 4ETS cannot override the
laws of physics.
! Only operate the vehicle briefly (for a max-
imum of ten seconds) on a brake dyna-
mometer. Turn the key in the ignition lock
to position 0or 1. You could otherwise
damage the drive train or the brake system. !
A function or performance test should
only be carried out on a twin-axle dyna-
mometer. If you wish to operate the vehicle
on such a dynamometer, please consult a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre in advance.
You could otherwise damage the drive train
or the brake system.
i If the brakes are subjected to heavy loads,
4ETS switches off automatically for a brief
period so that the brakes do not heat up
further. If, for this reason, 4ETS does not
engage, the dwarning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up. The message
ABS, ESP unavailable see Owner's
Manual also appears in the multi-function
display.
! The engine must be off when the parking
brake is being checked on the brake dyna-
mometer. Application of the brakes via
4ETS may otherwise destroy the braking
system.
Off-road terrain-4ETS (Electronic Trac-
tion System) A 4ETS system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically if the LOW
RANGE* off-road gear is selected
(Y page 114). Distance warning function* (vehicles
with Distronic*)
This function will issue a warning at speeds of
around 30 km/h or more if:
R for a period of several seconds, the dis-
tance to the vehicle in front is too short for
the speed at which you are travelling. The
· distance warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster will light up.
R you are approaching the vehicle in front too
rapidly. An intermittent warning tone will
then sound and the ·distance warning
lamp will light up in the instrument cluster. Driving safety systems
53Safety
* optional
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In order to maintain the appropriate distance
to the vehicle in front and thus prevent a
crash, you must apply the brakes yourself. G
Risk of accident
Pay particular attention to the traffic condi-
tions if the distance warning lamp ·in the
instrument cluster lights up or an intermittent
warning tone sounds.
If necessary, brake or manoeuvre to avoid an
obstacle.
X To activate/deactivate: activate or deac-
tivate the distance warning function in the
on-board computer (Y page 109).
After activation, the Äsymbol is dis-
played in the lower multi-function display.
For more information on the distance warning
function, see the Distronic section*
(Y page 119). Anti-theft systems
Immobiliser
The immobiliser prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct key.
Activating the immobiliser X
With the key: remove the key from the
ignition lock.
X With KEYLESS GO*: press the start/stop
button on the dashboard.
The engine switches off.
Deactivating the immobiliser X
With the key: turn the key to position 2in
the ignition lock.
X With KEYLESS GO*: press the start/stop
button on the dashboard twice without
depressing the brake.
i The immobiliser is always deactivated
when you start the engine. ATA* (anti-theft alarm system)
A visual and audible alarm is triggered when
the alarm system is primed and you open:
R a door
R a door using the emergency key element
R the tailgate
R the bonnet
The alarm is not switched off even if you close
an open door again. X
To prime: lock the vehicle using the key.
On vehicles with KEYLESS GO*, the locking
button on the door handle can also be used.
Indicator lamp :flashes. The alarm sys-
tem is primed after approximately 10 sec-
onds.
X To deactivate: unlock the vehicle using the
key. On vehicles with KEYLESS GO*, you
can also unlock the vehicle by grasping the
door handle.
Deactivating the alarm X
With the key: insert the key into the igni-
tion lock.
The alarm is deactivated.
or
X Press the %or& button on the key.
The alarm is deactivated. 54
Anti-theft systemsSafety
* optional
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Opening and closing
...........................58
Tailgate ................................................ 60
Key positions ....................................... 63
Seats .................................................... 64
Steering wheel .................................... 70
Mirrors ................................................. 72
Memory functions* .............................74
Seat belts ............................................. 75
Lights ................................................... 78
Windscreen wipers .............................84
Side windows ...................................... 85
Driving and parking ............................88
Transmission ....................................... 91
Instrument cluster ..............................96
On-board computer .............................97
Off-road driving ................................. 112
Driving systems ................................ 117
Air conditioning ................................. 136
Sliding sunroof .................................. 149
Loading and stowing ........................151
Features ............................................. 161 57Controls
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Opening and closing
Key
The key centrally locks/unlocks:
R the doors
R the tailgate
R the fuel filler flap G
Risk of accident
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
R open a door from the inside at any time,
even if it has been locked
R start the vehicle using a key which has been
left in the vehicle
R release the parking brake
They could thereby endanger themselves and
others. Never leave children unsupervised in
the vehicle. Always take the key with you
when leaving the vehicle, even if you are only
leaving it for a short time. :
& To lock the vehicle
; F To open/close the tailgate*
= Emergency key element
? % To unlock the vehicle
A Battery check lamp
When unlocking, the turn signals flash once.
When locking, they flash three times.
When it is dark, the surround lighting also
comes on if it is activated in the on-board
computer. The vehicle relocks automatically if you do not
open a door or the tailgate within 40 seconds
of unlocking the vehicle.
KEYLESS GO* You can start, lock or unlock the vehicle using
the KEYLESS GO key. To do this, you only
need carry the key with you. When you touch
the surface of the sensors on the vehicle's
door handles, KEYLESS GO establishes a
radio connection between the vehicle and the
key.
The distance to the door handle from which
you wish to lock or unlock the vehicle must
not be greater than 1 m.
When starting the engine and whilst driving,
KEYLESS GO also checks whether a valid key
is in the vehicle by periodically establishing
radio contact. X
To unlock the vehicle: touch the inner
surface of the door handle.
X To lock the vehicle: press locking but-
ton :.
If you pull on the handle of the tailgate, only
the luggage compartment of the vehicle is
unlocked.
i If the vehicle has been parked for a long
time, you must pull the door handle to acti-
vate KEYLESS GO. 58
Opening and closingControls
* optional
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However, the steerability of the vehicle is not
affected.
When you adjust the steering wheel, make
sure that:
R the steering wheel can be reached with
your arms slightly bent
R you can move your legs freely
R you can see all the displays in the instru-
ment cluster clearly Adjusting the steering wheel man-
ually
:
Release handle
; Height adjustment
= Fore-and-aft adjustment
X Pull handle :out completely.
The steering column is unlocked.
X Adjust the steering wheel to the desired
position.
X Push handle :in completely until it
engages fully.
The steering wheel is locked in position. Adjusting the steering wheel electri-
cally*
:
Fore-and-aft adjustment
; Height adjustment
You can find more information under:
R EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature (Y page 72)
R storing settings (Y page 74) Steering wheel heating*
X
To switch on or off: make sure that the
key is in position 2in the ignition lock.
X Turn the lever in direction of arrow :
or ;.
Indicator lamp =lights up or goes out.
i The steering-wheel heating does not
switch off automatically. Steering wheel
71Controls
* optional
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