ECU MERCEDES-BENZ GLK SUV 2012 User Guide

opening procedure. You could become trap-
ped between the side window and the door
frame as the side window moves down. If
there is a risk of becoming trapped, release
the switch or pull the switch upwards to close
the side window again. G
WARNING
Make sure that nobody can become trapped
as you close a side window. If there is a risk
of becoming trapped, release the switch or
press it again to open the side window again. G
WARNING
Children may injure themselves if they open
or close the side windows.
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
WARNING
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system. The children could:
R be seriously or even fatally injured on parts
of the vehicle
R be seriously or even fatally injured by pro-
longed exposure to extremely high or
extremely low temperatures
If children open a door, they could:
R seriously or even fatally injure other people
R get out of the vehicle and injure them-
selves, or be seriously or even fatally
injured by a passing vehicle
Activate the child-proof locks/override fea-
ture if children are travelling in the vehicle.
They could otherwise open doors or side win-
dows while the vehicle is in motion and
thereby injure themselves or others. Opening and closing the side win-
dows
:
Front left
; Front right
= Rear right
? Rear left
The switches for all side windows are located
on the driver's door. There is also a switch on
each door for the corresponding side window.
The switches on the driver's door take prec-
edence.
i The side windows cannot be operated
from the rear when the override feature for
the side windows is activated (Y page 64).
X Turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock.
X To open: press the corresponding switch.
X To close: pull the corresponding switch.
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.
i You can continue to operate the side win-
dows after switching off the engine or
removing the key. This function remains
active for five minutes or until the driver's
or front-passenger door is opened. Side windows
89Opening and closing Z

settings with the memory function
(Y
page 106). Seats
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The seats can still be adjusted when there is
no key in the ignition lock. For this reason,
children should never be left unsupervised in
the vehicle. They could adjust the seats and
become trapped. G
WARNING
Only adjust the driver's seat when the vehicle
is stationary. You will otherwise be distracted
from the road and traffic conditions and you
could lose control of the vehicle as a result of
the seat moving. This could cause an acci-
dent. G
WARNING
If you adjust the seat height carelessly, you or
others could be trapped and thereby injured.
Children in particular could unintentionally
press the buttons to electrically adjust the
seats and become trapped.
Take care that:
R while moving the seats, your hands do not
get under the lever assembly of the seat
adjustment system.
R children in the vehicle do not slide their
hands under the levers. G
WARNING
Make sure that nobody can become trapped
when adjusting the seats.
Observe the notes on airbags.
Secure children as recommended; see the
"Children in the vehicle" section. G
WARNING
Make sure that the back of your head is sup-
ported at eye level by the central area of the head restraint. If your head is not supported
correctly by the head restraint, you could suf-
fer a severe neck injury in the event of an
accident. Never drive if the head restraints are
not engaged and set correctly.
G
WARNING
A seat belt can only offer its intended degree
of protection when the backrest is almost ver-
tical and the occupant is sitting upright. Avoid
seat positions that do not allow the seat belt
to be routed correctly. Adjust the backrest so
that it is as upright as possible. Never travel
with the backrest reclined too far backwards.
You could otherwise be seriously or even
fatally injured in the event of an accident or
sudden braking.
! To avoid damage to the seats and the seat
heating, observe the following information:
R do not spill any liquids on the seats. If
liquid is spilled on the seats, dry them as
soon as possible.
R if the seat covers are damp or wet, do not
switch on the seat heating. The seat
heating should also not be used to dry
the seats.
R clean the seat covers as recommended;
see the "Interior care" section.
R do not transport heavy loads on the
seats. Do not place sharp objects on the
seat cushions, e.g. knives, nails or tools.
The seats should only be occupied by
passengers, if possible.
R when the seat heating is in operation, do
not cover the seats with insulating mate-
rials, e.g. blankets, coats, bags, seat cov-
ers, child seats or booster seats.
! Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell or behind the seats when moving
the seat back. There is a risk that the seats
and/or the objects could be damaged.
i The rear-compartment head restraints
can be removed (Y page 99). Seats
97Seats, steering wheel and mirrors Z

Replacing the front bulbs
Dipped-beam headlamps (halogen
headlamps) X
Switch off the lights.
X Open the bonnet.
X Turn housing cover :anti-clockwise and
pull it out.
X At the bulb holder, push the bulb upwards,
disconnect it and pull it out of bulb
holder ;.
X Insert the new bulb into bulb holder ;,
push it down and secure it in place.
X Attach housing cover :and turn it clock-
wise until it engages.
Main-beam headlamps and parking/
side lamps (halogen headlamps) X
Switch off the lights.
X Open the bonnet.
X Turn housing cover :anti-clockwise and
pull it out.
X Turn bulb anti-clockwise and pull it out. X
Insert the new bulb into bulb holder ;and
turn it clockwise.
X Align housing cover :and turn it clock-
wise until it engages.
Turn signal lamp (halogen headlamps) X
Switch off the lights.
X Open the bonnet.
X Turn housing cover :anti-clockwise and
pull it out.
X Grip the back of lever extension ;and pull
it out in a straight line.
X Take the bulb out of lever extension ;.
X Insert the new bulb into lever exten-
sion ;. X
Re-insert lever extension ;downwards
(swelling) with guide rail =.120
Replacing bulbsLights and windscreen wipers

Useful information
i This Owner's Manual describes all mod-
els, series and optional equipment for your
vehicle that were available at the time of
going to press. National variations are pos-
sible. Note that your vehicle may not be
equipped with all of the functions descri-
bed. This is also the case for systems and
functions relevant to safety.
i Read the information on qualified special-
ist workshops: (Y page 27). Running-in notes
Important safety notes
New brake pads/brake pads and discs that
have been replaced only achieve optimum
braking effect after several hundred kilome-
tres of driving. Compensate for the reduced
braking effect by applying greater force to the
brake pedal. The first 1,500 km
If you treat the engine with sufficient care
from the very start, you will be rewarded with
excellent performance for the remainder of
the engine's life.
R Drive at varying vehicle speeds and engine
speeds for the first 1,500 km.
R Avoid overstraining the vehicle during this
period, e.g. driving at full throttle.
R Change gear in good time, before the rev
counter needle is Ôof the way to the red
area of the rev counter.
R Do not shift down a gear manually in order
to brake. Vehicles with automatic transmission:
R Try to avoid depressing the accelerator
pedal beyond the point of resistance (kick-
down).
R The shift ranges 3,2or 1should only be
engaged when driving slowly, e.g. when
driving in mountainous terrain.
After 1,500 km, you may gradually accelerate
the vehicle to full road and engine speeds.
i You should also observe these notes on
running in if the engine or parts of the drive
train on your vehicle have been replaced. Driving
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell can restrict the
pedal travel or obstruct a depressed pedal.
The operating and road safety of the vehicle
is jeopardised. There is a risk of an accident.
Make sure that all objects in the vehicle are
stowed correctly, and that they cannot enter
the driver's footwell. Fit the floormats
securely and as specified in order to ensure
sufficient clearance for the pedals. Do not use
loose floormats. G
WARNING
Unsuitable footwear can hinder correct usage
of the pedals, e.g.:
R shoes with thick soles
R shoes with high heels
R slippers
There is a risk of an accident.
Wear suitable footwear to ensure correct
usage of the pedals. G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect,
for example, the power steering and the brake 146
DrivingDriving and parking

Hill start assist
Hill start assist helps you when pulling away
forwards or in reverse on an uphill gradient.
It holds the vehicle for a short time after you
have removed your foot from the brake pedal.
This gives you enough time to move your foot
from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal
and depress it before the vehicle begins to
roll. G
WARNING
After a short time, hill start assist will no lon-
ger brake your vehicle and it could roll away.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Therefore, quickly move your foot from the
brake pedal to the accelerator pedal. Never
leave the vehicle when it is held by hill start
assist.
X Take your foot off the brake pedal.
The vehicle is then held for about a second.
X Pull away.
Hill start assist will not function if:
R you are pulling away on a level road or a
downhill gradient.
R on vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission is in position N.
R the parking brake is engaged.
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning. ECO start/stop function
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the engine is switched off automatically and
you exit the vehicle, the engine is restarted
automatically. The vehicle may begin moving.
There is a risk of accident and injury.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
the ignition and secure the vehicle against
rolling away. General notes The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle stops
moving.
When pulling away again, the engine starts
automatically. The ECO start/stop function
thereby helps you to reduce the fuel con-
sumption and emissions of your vehicle.
Every time you switch on the engine using the
key or the Start/Stop button, the ECO start/
stop function is activated.
The system is operational when the
¤
symbol is shown in green in the multifunction
display.
If not all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off are fulfilled (Y page 151), the
¤ symbol is shown in yellow in the multi-
function display.
If the ECO start/stop function has been man-
ually deactivated (Y page 150) or a malfunc-
tion has caused the system to be deactivated,
the ¤ symbol is not displayed.
Deactivating/activating the ECO start/
stop function ECO button
To deactivate
X
Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;on button :and the
¤ symbol in the multifunction display go
out. 150
DrivingDriving and parking

Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If flammable materials such as leaves, grass
or twigs are exposed to prolonged contact to
parts of the exhaust system that heat up, they
could ignite. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable mate-
rials come into contact with parts of the vehi-
cle which are hot. Take particular care not to
park on dry grassland or harvested grain
fields. G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect,
for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect. You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk
of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving. G
WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
the parking position P
R starting the engine.
They could also operate the vehicle's equip-
ment. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key
with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unsupervised in the vehicle.
! A moving vehicle can lead to damage to
the vehicle or damage to the drive train.
To ensure that the vehicle is secured against
rolling away unintentionally:
R the parking brake must be applied.
R on vehicles with manual transmission,
engage first gear or reverse gear. R
on vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission must be in position Pand
the key must be removed from the ignition
lock.
R on uphill or downhill gradients, the front
wheels must be turned towards the kerb. Switching off the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of
an accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake.
Vehicles with manual transmission X
Shift to either first gear or reverse gear R.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
X Firmly depress the parking brake.
Vehicles with automatic transmission X
Firmly depress the parking brake.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
Using the key
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
i The key can only be removed if the trans-
mission is in position P.164
ParkingDriving and parking

Slippery road surfaces
G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in
an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
This increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
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 Move the transmission to position N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control by
using corrective steering.
i For more information on driving with
snow chains, see (Y page 353).Off-road driving
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you drive up a steep incline at an angle or
turn on a steep incline, the vehicle could slip
sideways, tip and overturn. There is a risk of
an accident.
When driving up an incline, drive into the line
of fall (upwards or downwards in a straight
line) and do not turn.
When driving off-road, substances such as
sand, mud and water or water mixed with oil
may get into the brakes. This may lead to a
reduction in braking performance or total
brake failure as a result of increased wear.
The braking characteristics will vary depend-
ing on the substances that get into the
brakes. Clean the brakes after driving off-
road. If you notice grinding noises or a reduc-
tion in braking performance, have the brake
system checked at a qualified specialist work- shop immediately. Adapt your driving style to
the altered braking characteristics.
Driving off-road increases the possibility of
damage to the vehicle, which may cause
assemblies or systems to fail. Adapt your
driving style to the conditions of the terrain.
Drive carefully. Have vehicle damage rectified
immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Do not shift into transmission position
N
when driving off-road. You could lose control
of the vehicle if you attempt to brake the
vehicle using the service brake. If the gradient
is too steep for your vehicle, back up in
reverse gear.
General notes H
Environmental note
Protection of the environment is of primary
importance. Treat nature with respect.
Observe all prohibiting signs.
Read this section before driving your vehicle
off-road. Practise by travelling over more gen-
tle off-road terrain first.
Off-road driving is only possible with the Off-
Road Engineering package (Y page 215).
The following driving systems are specially
adapted to off-road driving:
R Off-road drive program (Y page 215)
R Off-road ABS (Y page 65)
R Off-road 4ETS (Y page 68)
R Off-road ESP ®
(Y page 69)
R DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
(Y page 213)
Observe the following notes:
R Stop your vehicle and, if necessary, select
the off-road drive program (Y page 215)
before driving off-road.
R To avoid damaging the vehicle, make sure
there is always sufficient ground clearance.
R Check that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
(Y page 299). 170
Driving tipsDriving and parking

DISTRONIC PLUS must also never be oper-
ated, activated or deactivated by a passenger
or from outside the vehicle.
DISTRONIC PLUS does not replace the park-
ing brake and must not be used for parking.
The DISTRONIC PLUS braking effect is can-
celled and the vehicle can start moving if:
R DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated using the
cruise control lever.
R you accelerate.
R there is a malfunction in the system or an
interruption in the power supply, e.g. bat-
tery failure.
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are tam-
pered with.
R the battery is disconnected.
If you wish to leave the vehicle or park it,
deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS and secure the
vehicle against rolling away.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle
in front is stopping, it brakes your vehicle until
it is stationary.
Once your vehicle is stationary, it remains
stationary and you do not need to depress the
brake.
i Depending on the specified minimum dis-
tance, your vehicle will come to a standstill
at a sufficient distance behind the vehicle
in front. The specified minimum distance is
set using the control on the cruise control
lever.
You will see a warning message in the multi-
function display if DISTRONIC PLUS is acti-
vated and:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened.
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function.
R the bonnet is opened.
Select Park (P)
Select Park (P) X
Shift the transmission to position Pto pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling away.
DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated. The warn-
ing message in the multifunction display
disappears.
The horn will also sound at regular intervals if
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated and you:
R switch the engine off, open the driver's
door and take off your seat belt
R open the bonnet
The sounding of the horn alerts you to the fact
that the vehicle has been parked while DIS-
TRONIC PLUS is still activated. The sound
becomes louder if you attempt to lock the
vehicle. The vehicle is not locked until DIS-
TRONIC PLUS is deactivated.
i If the engine has been switched off, it
cannot be started again until DISTRONIC
PLUS has been deactivated.
If DISTRONIC PLUS is activated and a fault
occurs in the system or if there is a disruption
in the power supply, the Brake immedi‐ Brake immedi‐
ately
ately message is shown in the multifunction
display. Immediately depress the brake firmly
until the warning message in the multifunc-
tion display goes out or shift the transmission
to position P. DISTRONIC PLUS is deactiva-
ted.
Setting a speed X
Press the cruise control lever up :for a
higher speed or down Afor a lower speed.
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed until
the desired speed is reached.
X Release the cruise control lever.
The new speed is stored. DISTRONIC PLUS
is activated and adjusts the vehicle's speed
to the new speed stored.
X To adjust the set speed in 1 km/h incre-
ments: briefly press the cruise control 182
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

Activation conditions
You can activate the HOLD function if:
R the vehicle is stationary
R the engine is running or if it has been auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function.
R the driver's door is closed or if your seat
belt is fastened.
R the parking brake is released.
R the bonnet is closed
R the selector lever is in position D,Ror Non
vehicles with automatic transmission.
R DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated.
Activating the HOLD function X
Make sure that the activation conditions
are met.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Quickly depress the brake pedal further
until ë appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
i If depressing the brake pedal the first
time does not activate the HOLD function,
wait briefly and then try again. G
WARNING
The vehicle's brakes are applied when the
HOLD function is activated. For this reason,
deactivate the HOLD function if the vehicle is
to be set in motion by other means (e.g. in a
car wash or by towing).
Deactivating the HOLD function The HOLD function is deactivated automati-
cally if:
R
you accelerate. On vehicles with automatic
transmission: only when the transmission
is in position Dor R.
R the transmission is in position Pon vehicles
with automatic transmission. R
you depress the brake pedal again with a
certain amount of pressure until ëdis-
appears from the multifunction display.
R you activate DISTRONIC PLUS. G
WARNING
Never get out of the vehicle when the HOLD
function is activated.
The HOLD function must never be operated
or deactivated by a passenger or from outside
the vehicle.
The HOLD function does not replace the park-
ing brake and must not be used for parking.
The braking effect of the HOLD function is
cancelled and the vehicle could roll away if:
R the HOLD function is deactivated by
depressing the accelerator pedal or the
brake pedal.
R there is a malfunction in the system or an
interruption in the power supply, e.g. bat-
tery failure.
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are tam-
pered with.
R the battery is disconnected.
If you leave the vehicle or park it, deactivate
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
R the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened.
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function.
R the bonnet is opened.
R a system fault occurs.
R the power supply is not sufficient.
In vehicles with manual transmission, you see
a warning message in the multifunction dis-
play if the HOLD function is activated and: Driving systems
187Driving and parking Z

Coupling up a trailer
G
WARNING
If you uncouple a trailer with an engaged over-
run brake, you could trap your hand between
the vehicle and the trailer drawbar. This poses
a risk of injury.
Do not uncouple a trailer with an engaged
overrun brake.
X Make sure that the transmission is in posi-
tion P.
X Engage the parking brake.
X Position the trailer level behind the vehicle.
X Couple up the trailer.
X Establish the electric connection between
the vehicle and the trailer.
X Check that the trailer lighting system is
working. Uncoupling a trailer
G
WARNING
Vehicles with level control:
If you disconnect the trailer cable, the vehicle
is lowered. This can cause you or others to
become trapped between the vehicle body
and tyres, or underneath the vehicle. This
poses a risk of injury.
Make sure that no-one is in the immediate
vicinity of the wheel arch or underneath the
vehicle when disconnecting the trailer cable.
! Do not disconnect a trailer with an
engaged overrun brake. Otherwise, your
vehicle could be damaged by the rebound-
ing of the overrun brake.
X Make sure that the transmission is in posi-
tion P.
X Engage the parking brake.
X Secure the trailer against rolling away.
X Remove the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer. Removing the ball coupling
X Pull the protective cap off the lock in the
handwheel.
X Use the key to unlock the lock in the hand-
wheel.
X Hold the ball coupling. Pull the handwheel
away from the ball coupling and turn it
clockwise until it engages.
The green area on the ball coupling is
aligned with the red mark on the hand-
wheel.
X Pull the ball coupling downwards to
remove.
X Clean the ball coupling if it is dirty.
Information on cleaning and care of the trailer
tow hitch can be found under (Y page 321). Storing the ball coupling
G
WARNING
Never transport an unsecured ball coupling in
the interior of the vehicle.
Otherwise, vehicle occupants could be
injured by the ball coupling being thrown if
you:
R brake sharply
R change direction suddenly
R have an accident
X Open the stowage well under the luggage
compartment floor.
X Remove the cover from the ball coupling
recess.
X Remove the protective cap from the ball
coupling recess.
X Press the protective cap into the ball cou-
pling recess until it engages.
X Make sure that the protective cap is firmly
in place.
X Store the ball coupling with the key inser-
ted in the ball coupling recess. 220
Towing a trailerDriving and parking