coolant MERCEDES-BENZ GL SUV 2012 User Guide

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
?
The red coolant warn-
ing lam
pcomes on
while the engin eisrun-
ning. The coolant level is too low.
If the coolant level is correct, the airflow to the engine radiator
may be blocked or the electric engine radiator fan may be mal-
functioning.
The coolant is too hot and the engine is no longer being cooled
sufficiently.
X
Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display.
X Stop the vehicle immediately, paying attention to road and traf-
fic conditions, and switch off the engine.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away (Y page 181).
X Leave the vehicle and keep asafe distance from the vehicle until
the engine has cooled down.
X Check the coolant level and top up the coolant, observing the
warning notes (Y page 363).
X If you have to top up the coolant frequently, have the engine
cooling system checked.
X Make sure that the air supply to the engine radiator is not
blocked, e.g. by frozen slush.
X Do not start the engine again until the coolant temperature is
under 120 †. The engine may otherwise be damaged.
X Drive to the nearest qualified specialis tworkshop.
X Avoid heav yloads on the engin easyou do so, e.g. driving in
mountainous terrain and stop-star ttraffic. ?
Th
er ed coolan twarn-
ing lamp comes on
while the engine is run-
ning. Awarning tone
also sounds. The coolant temperature has exceeded 120 †. The airflow to the
engine radiator may be blocked or the coolant level may be too
low.
G WARNING
The engine is not being cooled sufficiently and may be damaged.
Do not drive when your engine is overheated. This can cause some
fluids which may have leaked into the engine compartmen tto
catch fire.
Stea mfrom th eoverh eated engine can als ocaus eserious burns
which can occu rjust by opening the bonnet.
This pose sarisk of injury.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display.
X Stop the vehicle immediately, paying attention to road and traf-
fic conditions, and switch off the engine.
X Secur ethe vehicle against rolling away (Y page 181).334
Warning and indicator lamps in th
einstru ment clusterOn-board computer and displays

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
X
Leave the vehicle and keep asafe distance from the vehicle until
the engine has cooled down.
X Check the coolant level and top up the coolant, observing the
warning notes (Y page 363).
X If you have to top up the coolant frequently, have the engine
cooling system checked.
X Make sure that the air supply to the engine radiator is not
blocked, e.g. by frozen slush.
X If the coolant temperature is below 120 †, you can continue
driving to the nearest qualified specialis tworkshop.
X Avoid heav yloads on the engin easyou do so, e.g. driving in
mountainous terrain and stop-star ttraffic. Driving systems
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
·
Th
er ed distance warn-
ing function warning
lam pcomes on while
the vehicle is moving. The distance to the vehicle in front is too smal
lfor the speed
selected.
X Increase the distance. ·
The red distance warn-
ing func
tion warning
lam pcomes on while
the vehicle is moving. A
warnin gtone also
sounds. You ar
eapproaching avehicle or astationary obstacle in your line
of travel at too hig haspeed.
X Be prepared to brak eimmediately.
X Pa yc areful attention to the traffic situation. You may have to
brake or take evasive action.
Further information on DISTRONIC PLUS (Y page 198).
Further information on PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (Y page 68).
Further information on the distance warning function
(Y page 63). Warnin
gand indicator lam psin th einstru ment cluster
335On-board computer and displays Z

H
Environmenta
lnote
When toppin guptheoil, tak ecaren ot to spill
any .Ifo il enters th esoil or waterways, it is
harmful to th eenvironment.
! Only use engine oil sand oil filters that
have bee napproved for vehicles with a
servic esystem. You can obtain alist of the
engine oils and oil filters tested and
approved in accordance with the
Mercedes-Ben zSpecification sfor Service
Product satany Mercedes-Ben zService
Centre.
Damage to th eengine or exhaust sys temis
caused by the following:
R using engine oil sand oil filters that have
not bee nspecifically approved for the
servic esystem
R changing the engine oil and oil filter after
missing the change interval required by
the servic esystem
R using engine oil additives
! Do not add too muc hoil. Toppin gupwith
to om uche ngine oil can resul tindamage
to the engine or to the catalytic converter.
Hav eexcess engine oil siphoned off. Example: engine oil filler cap
X
Turn cap :anti-clockwis eand remove it.
X Top up the engine oil.
If the oil level is at or below the MIN mark
on the oil dipstick ,add 1. 0litreo fengine
oil. X
Replace cap :on the filler nec kand turn
clockwise.
Make sure that the cap locks securely into
place.
X Check the oil level agai nwith the oil dip-
stic k(Ypage 36 2).
For furthe rinformation on engine oil ,see
(Y page 42 8). Other service products
Checking th ecoolant level G
WARNING
The coolin gsystem is pressurised. Therefore,
only unscrew the cap onc ethe engine has
coole ddown. The coolan ttemperatur edis-
play must be less than 70 †. Otherwise, you
could be scalded if hot coolant escapes. X
Park the vehicle on alevel surface.
Only chec kthe coolant level if the vehicle
is on alevel surface and the engine has
cooled down.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 159).
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, press the
Start/Stop button twic e(Ypage 159).
X Check the coolant temperatur egauge in
the multifunction displ ay.
Th ec oolant temperatur emust be below
70 †.
X Turn the key to position 0(Y page 159 )in
the ignition lock. Eng
inecompartment
363Maintenance and care Z

X
Slowl yturn cap :half aturn anti-clock-
wise to allo wexces spress uretoe scape.
X Turn cap :further anti-clockwise and
rem ovei t.
If the coolant is at the level of marker bar
= in the fille rneck when cold, ther eis
enough coolan tincoolant expansion
tank ;.
If the coolant leve lisapproximately
1.5 cm above marker bar =in the filler
nec kwhen warm, ther eisenoughcoolant
in coolant expansion tank ;.
X If necessary ,top up with coolant that has
been tested and approved by Mercedes-
Ben z.
X Replace cap :and turn it clockwise as far
as it will go.
For further information on coolant, see
(Y page 429).
Topping up the windscreen washer sys-
tem/headlam pcleaning system G
WAR
NING
Windscreen washer fluid/antifreeze is highly
flammable .Avoid spilling windscreen washer
fluid/antifreez eonh ot engin ecomponent sas
it can ignit eand burn. Severe burns could be
the resul t. Example: washer fluid reservoir
Example: washer fluid reservoir in AMG vehicles
X
To open: pull cap:upward sbythe tab.
X Top up with the premi xedw asher fluid.
X To close: press cap :ontothe filler neck
until it engages.
The washer fluid reservoi risu sed for both the
windscree nwasher system and th eheadlamp
cleaning system.
Further inf ormatio nonw indscreen washer
fluid/antifr eeze (Ypage 43 0). Service
ASSYST PLUS
Service messages The ASSYS
TPLUS service interva ldisplay
inform syou of the nex tservice due date.
In fo rmation on th etype of service and service
intervals (se eseparate Ser vice Boo klet).
You can obtain further information from a
Mercedes-Ben zService Cent re.364
ServiceMaintenance and care

High-pressure cl
eaning equipment G
WARNING
Do not use high-pressure cleaner swith circu-
lar-jet nozzles (dirt grinders) to clean your
vehicle ,inparticular the tyres. You could oth-
erwise damage the tyres and cause an acci-
dent.
! Always maintain adistance of at least
30 cm between the vehicle and the high-
pressure cleaner nozzle. Information about
the correc tdistanc eisavailable from the
equipment manufacturer.
Move the high-pressure cleane rnozzle
around when cleanin gyour vehicle.
Do not aim directly at any of the following:
R tyres
R door gaps, roof gaps, join tsetc.
R electrical components
R battery
R connectors
R lights
R seals
R trim elements
R ven tilation slots
Damaged seals or electrical components
can lead to leaks or failures.
Cleanin gthe paintwork !
Do not affix:
R stickers
R films
R magnetic plate sorsimilar items
to painted surfaces. You could otherwise
damage 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 aqualified spe-
cialist workshop. X
Remove impurities immediately, where
possible, whils tavoiding rubbing to ohard.
X Soak insect remains with insect remover
and rinse off the treated areas afterwards.
X Soak bird droppings with water and rinse
off the treated areas afterwards.
X Remove coolant, brake fluid, tree resin,
oils, fuels and greases by rubbing gently
with acloth soaked in petroleum ether or
lighter fluid.
X Use tar remover to remov etar stains.
X Use silicone remover to remove wax.
Care and treatment of mat tpaintwork !
Never polis hthe vehicle or the light alloy
wheels. Polishin gmakes the paintwork
shiny.
! The following may cause the paint to
become shiny and thus reduce the matt
effect:
R Vigorous rubbing with unsuitable mate-
rials.
R Frequent use of car washes.
R Washing the vehicle in direct sunlight.
! Never use paint cleaner, buffing or pol-
ishing products, or glos spreserver, e.g.
wax .These product sare onl ysuitable for
high-glos ssurfaces. Thei ruse on vehicles
wit hm att finish leads to considerable sur-
face damage (shiny, spotted areas).
Always have paintwork repairs performed
at aq ualified specialist workshop, e.g. a
Mercedes-Ben zService Centre.
! Do not use wash programs with ahot wax
treatmen tunder any circumstances.
Observe thes enotes if your vehicle has a
clea rmatt finish. This will help you to avoid
damage to the paintwork due to incorrect
treatment.
Thes enotes also apply to light-alloy wheels
with aclear matt finish. 368
CareMaintenance and care

data applicable to your vehicle on the vehi-
cle' sidentification plate. VIN
X
Open the fron tright-han ddoor.
X Open cover :in the dire ction of the arrow
and remove it.
The VI Ncan be seen.
The VIN can also be foun donthe vehi cle
identification plate (Y page 422).Engine number
The engin enumber is stamped ont othe
crankcase .You can obtain further informa-
tion fr om any qualified specialist workshop. Service products and capacities
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Whe nhandling ,storing and disposing of any
servic eproducts, please observe the relevant
regulations, as you could othe rwise endanger
yourself and others.
Keep servic eproducts awa yfromc hildren.
To protec tyour health, do no tallow service
products to com eintoc ontac twith your eyes
or open wounds. See adoctor immediately if
any servic eproduct is swallowed. H
Environmental note
Dispose of service products in an environ-
mentally-responsible manner.
Service products includ ethe following:
R fuels (e.g. petrol, diesel)
R exhaust gas after treatmen tadditives, e.g.
AdBlue ®
R lubrican ts(e.g. engin eoil, transmission oil)
R coolant
R brake fluid
R windscreen washer fluid
R clima te control systemrefrigerant
Components and servic eproducts mus tbe
matched. Mercedes-Benz reco mmends that
you use produc tstested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz. They are listed in this
Mercedes-Benz Owne r'sM anual in the appro-
priat esection.
You can identif yservice product sapproved
by Mercedes-Ben zbythe fol lowinginscrip-
tion sonthe container:
R MB Freigab e(e.g. MB Freigab e229.51)
R MB Approva l(e.g. MB Approval 229.51)
Other designation sorrecommendation sind i-
cat eal evel of qualit yora specification in
ac cord ance wit hanMBS heet Nu mber (e.g.
MB 229.5). They hav enot necessarily been
approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Further informatio ncan be obtained from any
Mercedes -Ben zS ervice Cent reor on the
In te rnet at ht tp://bevo.mercedes -benz.co m. Fuel
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. If you handle fuel
incorrectly, there is arisk of fir eand explo-
sio n.
You must avoi dfire, naked flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Switc hoff the engine Servic
eproducts and capacities
423Technical data
Z

Model Replacement
amount GL 50
04MATIC
Blue EFFICIEN CY 8.5 l
GL 63 AMG
With external oil
cooler: 9.5 l GL 350 Blue-
TEC 4MATIC
GL 350 CDI
4MATIC
8.0 l
Additives
!
Do not use any additives with the engine
oil .T his could damage the engine.
Engine oil viscosity Viscosit
ydescribes the flow characteristics
of afluid. If an engine oil has ahigh viscosity
rating, it flows slowly ;the lower the viscosity,
the faster it flows.
Engin eoil selection is based on the respective
outside temperatures and in accordance with
the SAE classification (viscosity). The table
shows you which SAE classifications are to be
used. The low-temperature properties of
engine oils can be significantly impaired dur-
ing operation due to, for example, ageing or
soot and fuel accretion .Itistherefore
strongly recommended to observe regular oil
changes usin ganapproved engine oil with the
appropriate SAE classification. Brake fluid
G
WARNING
Over aperiod of time, the brak efluid absorbs
moisture from the air; This lowers its boiling
point.
If the boiling point of the brake fluid is too low,
vapour pocket smay form in the brake system
when the brakes are applied hard (e.g. when
driving downhill). This impairs braking effi-
ciency.
You shoul dhave the brake fluid renewed at
regular intervals. The brake fluid change inter-
vals can be found in the Service Booklet.
Only use brake fluid approved by Mercedes-
Benz according to MB Approval 331.0.
Information about approved brake fluid can
be obtained at any qualified specialist work-
sho poront he Internet at
http://bevo. mercedes-benz.com.
i Have th ebrake flui drenewed regularly at
aq ualified specialist workshop. Coolant
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Antifreeze is highly flammable. Fire, naked
flames and smoking are prohibited when han-
dling antifreeze.
If antifreeze comes into contact with hot
engine parts, it may ignite and you could burn
yourself. Do not spill any antifreeze on hot
engine parts.
! Only add coolant that has been premixed
with the desired antifreez eprotection. You
cou ld othe rwise damage th eengine.
Further information on cool ants can be
found in the Merced es-Benz Specifications
for Service Prod ucts, MB Specifications for
Service Products 310.1 ,e.g. on the Inter-
net at http://bevo.mercedes-benz.co m.
Or contac taqualified specialist workshop. Servic
eproducts and capacities
429Technical data Z

!
Alway suseasuitabl ecoolant mixture,
even in countries where high temperatures
prevail.
Otherwise, the engin ecooling system is not
sufficiently protected from corrosion and
overheating.
! The engin ecooling system is filled with
coolant, which must be renewed after
15 years or after 250,000 kilometres at the
latest.
The coolant is amixtur eofw ater and anti-
freeze/corrosio ninhibitor. It performs the
following tasks:
R anti-corrosio nprotection
R antifreeze protection
R raising th eboiling point
If antifreeze/ corrosion inhibitor is presen tin
the correct concentration, the boil ingp oint of
the coolant during operation will be approx-
imately 13 0†.
The antifreeze/ corrosion inhibitor concentra-
tion in the engin ecooling system should:
R be at least 50%. This will protect the engine
coolin gsystem against freezing down to
approximatel y-37 †.
R not exceed 55% (antifreeze protection
down to -45 †). Hea twill otherwise not be
dissipated as effectively.
If the vehicle has lost coolant, top it up with
equa lamounts of water and antifreeze/cor-
rosio ninhibitor. Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends an antifreeze/corrosion inhibito rcon-
cen trate in accordance with MB Specifica-
tions for Service Products 310.1.
The coolant is checked at every maintenance
interval at aqualified special istworkshop.
i When the vehicle is first delivered ,itisfil-
led with acoolant mixtur ethat ensures
adequate antifreeze and corrosion protec-
tion. Windscreen washe
rsystem an dhead-
lamp cleaning system
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Windscreen washer concentrat eishighly
flammable. If it comes into contact with hot
engine component sorthe exhaust system it
coul dignite. There is arisk of fire and injury.
Make sure that no windscreen washer con-
centrate is spille dnext to the filler neck.
! Only use washer fluid that is suitable for
plastic lamp lenses, e.g. MB SummerFit or
MB WinterFit. Unsuitable washer fluid
could damage the plastic lenses of the
headlamps.
! Do not use distilled or de-ionised water in
the washer fluid reservoir. Otherwise, the
level sensor may be damaged.
! Only the washer fluids SummerFit and
WinterFit can be mixed. Otherwise, the
spraying nozzles could become blocked.
At temperatures above freezing:
X Fill the washer fluid reservoir with amixture
of water and washer fluid, e.g. MB Sum-
merFit.
Mix 1part MB SummerFit to 100 parts water.
At temperatures below freezing:
X Fill the washe rfluid reservoir with amixture
of water and washer fluid, e.g. MB Winter-
Fit.
Adapt the mixin gratio to the outside temper-
ature.
R Down to Ò10 †: mix 1part MB WinterFit to
2p arts water.
R Down to Ò20 †: mix 1part MB WinterFit to
1p art water.
R Down to Ò29 †: mix 2parts MB WinterFit
to 1p art water.
i Add washe rfluid concentrate, e.g. MB
SummerFit or MB WinterFit, to the washer
fluid all year round. 430
Service products and capacitiesTechnical data