2007 MERCEDES-BENZ GL320CDI pre safe

264 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Warning!G
The “Resume” function should only be
operated if the driver is fully aware of the
previously set speed and wishes to resume
this particular preset speed.
Warning!G
Close attention to road and traffic condi-
tions is imperative at all times, regardless of
whether or not Distronic is activated.
Use of Distronic can be dangerous on
winding roads or in heavy traffic because
conditions do not allow safe driving at a
continuous speed.
Distronic will not react to stationary objects
in the roadway (e.g. a stopped vehicle in a
traffic jam or a disabled vehicle). Distronic
will also not respond to oncoming vehicles.
Switch off Distronic:

when changing from the left to the right
lane if vehicles are moving more slowly
in the left lane

when entering a turn lane or highway off
ramp

in complex driving situations, such as in
highway construction zones
In these situations, Distronic will continue to
maintain the set speed unless deactivated.
Distronic is designed and intended only to
maintain a set speed and keep a set dis-
tance from moving objects in front of it.
iUSA only: This device has been approved by
the FCC as a “Vehicular Radar System”. The ra-
dar sensor is intended for use in an automotive
radar system only. Removal, tampering, or alter-
ing of the device will void any warranties, and is
not permitted by the FCC. Do not tamper with,
alter, or use in any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
iCanada only:
This device complies with RSS-210 of Industry
Canada. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Removal, tampering, or altering of the device will
void any warranties, and is not permitted. Do not
tamper with, alter, or use in any non-approved
way.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.

271 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Setting the following distance in
Distronic
You can set the specified following
distance for Distronic by varying the time
setting between 1.0 and 2.0 seconds. Us-
ing this time setting and the current speed
of your vehicle, Distronic calculates and
sets the required following distance to the
preceding vehicle. The set distance will be
shown in the multifunction display
(
page 267).
The distance setting switch for the time
setting is located on the cruise control le-
ver on the left-hand side of the steering
column.
iThe Distronic switches off automatically
when

you step on the brake pedal

you depress the parking brake pedal
In this case, the Distronic speed segments in the
speedometer (
page 265) will go out.

the vehicle speed falls below 20 mph
(30 km/h)

the ESP® is in operation

the ESP® is switched off with the ESP®
switch (
page 107)

the ESP® has switched off due to a
malfunction (
page 441)

you set the automatic transmission toN
while driving
The Distronic speed segments in the
speedometer (
page 265) will go out and an
acoustic warning will sound.
Warning!G
Distronic switches off and releases the
brakes when the vehicle decelerates below
the minimum speed of 20 mph (30 km/h)
by operation of the system. At that time the
driver must apply the brakes in order to
reduce vehicle speed further or bring it to a
stop.
!Setting the automatic transmission toN
while driving cancels the Distronic. However, the
automatic transmission should not be set toN
while driving except to coast when the vehicle is
in danger of skidding (e.g. on icy roads).
iDepressing the accelerator pedal does not
deactivate the Distronic. After a brief accelera-
tion (e.g. for passing), the Distronic will resume
the last set speed.
Warning!G
It is up to the driver to exercise discretion to
select the appropriate setting given road
conditions, traffic, driver’s preferred driving
style and applicable laws and driving recom-
mendations for safe following distance.

274 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Lane changing
Distronic has not yet detected the vehicle
changing lanes. There will be insufficient
distance to the lane-changing vehicle.Narrow vehicles
Because of their narrow profile, the vehi-
cles traveling near the outer edges of the
lane have not yet been detected by
Distronic. There will be insufficient
distance to the vehicles ahead.Distance warning function*
When Distronic* is deactivated, this
function will continue to warn you when
recognizing a stationary obstacle or a
slower vehicle moving in your vehicle’s
path and the danger of a collision exists:

The distance warning lampl in the
instrument cluster comes on.

An intermittent warning will sound if
necessary.
If these warnings are issued, you must
brake manually to maintain a safe distance
and avoid a collision with the preceding
vehicle.
When pressing the brake pedal, the warn-
ing sound ceases. The warning sound will
also cease when the distance to the
preceding vehicle is sufficient again with-
out applying the brakes. In this case, the
distance warning lamp will also go out.

275 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Switch on the distance warning
function in the control system
(
page 186).
Downhill Speed Regulation (DSR)For more information, see “Off-road driv-
ing” (
page 357).
The DSR is an aid for driving downhill. DSR
regulates your vehicle’s speed when driv-
ing downhill to the value set in the control
system (
page 186). The steeper the
downhill gradient is, the greater the brake
application. On flat road surfaces, DSR
brakes only slightly or not at all.
DSR regulates the vehicle’s speed in auto-
matic transmission positionsD, orR.
You can drive slower or faster than the set
speed at any time by braking the vehicle or
depressing the accelerator pedal.
Warning!G
If the distance warning lampl in the in-
strument cluster comes on while driving
and/or an intermittent warning sounds,
immediate attention on the part of the driver
is required. As required by the traffic
situation, apply the brakes and navigate
around a possible obstacle. However, do not
drive by relying on the distance warning
function, as this will result in an emergency
braking application. This will not always
enable you to avoid a collision, especially
when traveling on varying road surface
conditions and with varying driver reaction.
Complex driving situations are not always
fully recognized by the distance warning
function. This could result in wrong or miss-
ing distance warnings.Warning!G
Downhill Speed Regulation is a convenience
system designed to assist the driver during
vehicle operation. The system must be set
to be appropriate for the topographical and
weather conditions encountered which can
change quickly. The driver is and must
remain at all times responsible for the vehi-
cle speed and for safe brake operation.
Depending on the programmed speed
(
page 186), actual vehicle speed and gra-
dient, switching on the DSR while driving
can cause the vehicle to slow down rapidly
and you may hear a sound which is caused
by the activation of the vehicle’s brake sys-
tem through the DSR. Sudden and unex-
pected deceleration can result in loss of
vehicle control, causing an accident and/or
serious personal injury to you and others.
Do not switch on the DSR in a circumstance
where rapid deceleration could result in a
loss of vehicle control.
iIn addition, make use of the engine’s braking
effect by shifting the automatic transmission
into a lower gear.

282 Controls in detail
Driving systems
The parked vehicle begins adjusting to the
set vehicle level as soon the doors and tail-
gate are

unlocked
or

opened or closed with the vehicle
unlocked
In order to operate the vehicle level control
switch (
page 283), however, the engine
must be running.
For information on off-road driving, see
“Off-road driving” (
page 357).
Warning!G
Make sure that no one is near the wheel
housing or under the vehicle when you lower
the vehicle while it is standing still. Limbs
could become wedged into or under the ve-
hicle.
For safety reasons, the vehicle can only be
lowered with all doors and the tailgate
closed. Lowering is interrupted if a door or
the tailgate is opened and will continue after
the door is closed again.
Warning!G
Please be aware that by raising the vehicle
level, the center of gravity also rises. There-
fore, always ensure that the vehicle level is
as low as possible. With higher ride height
the ESP
® may activate earlier in certain
situations.
Adapt your speed and driving to possible
changed driving behavior of the vehicle after
changing the vehicle level. The ESP
® cannot
prevent accidents, including those resulting
from excessive speed. The ESP
® cannot pre-
vent the natural laws of physics from acting
on the vehicle.
!Keep in mind that in rough or uneven ter-
rain, adjusting the vehicle to a lower level may
cause the vehicle underbody to come in contact
with the ground and result in damage to the vehi-
cle underbody. Always make sure the vehicle has
sufficient ground clearance before adjusting it to
a lower level.
!Before jacking up the vehicle with equip-
ment that lifts one or more of the wheels com-
pletely off of the ground, remove the SmartKey
from the starter switch.
!Please also note the information in the sec-
tion on towing (
page 540).

298 Controls in detail
Loading
Installing the basic cross bars
iSpare parts are available as Mercedes-Benz
accessories. Contact your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Warning!G
Please follow these installation instructions
carefully. Caution should be exercised to
avoid damage to the vehicle while installing
the basic cross bars. Also, be careful not to
injure yourself or others while installing and
adjusting the basic cross bars or loading
items on them.
Each individual step of the installation in-
structions, the warning notices, the general
safety precautions and the instructions for
use must be followed exactly. If the basic
cross bars are not mounted correctly, they
and the objects attached to them could
come loose from your vehicle and cause an
accident, thereby injuring you and other per-
sons and/or causing damage to property,
including damage to your vehicle.
Warning!G
Every time the basic cross bars are mount-
ed, before you set off on a journey and peri-
odically during longer journeys, check all the
screws on the bars to make sure that they
are secure, and tighten them if necessary.
Repeat these checks at regular intervals as
road-surface conditions dictate, and at least
after every 1500 miles (2500 km) of contin-
uous use.
Otherwise, the basic cross bars, mounted
accessories and the objects attached to
them could come loose from the vehicle
causing an accident, thereby injuring you
and other persons and/or causing damage
to property, including damage to your vehi-
cle.
Do not use lubricant on the screws of the
basic cross bars. The screws could work
loose and the basic cross bars could be-
come detached from your vehicle, together
with the objects attached to them causing
an accident, thereby injuring you and other
persons and/or causing damage to proper-
ty, including damage to your vehicle.
Warning!G
Only install the basic cross bars at the exact
locations designated on the roof rails. The
designated locations for the front basic
cross bars are between the markings en-
graved on the inside of the roof rails
(
page 300). The designated locations for
the rear basic cross bars are between the
gaps on the roof rails (
page 300).

304 Controls in detail
Loading
The gross vehicle weight which is the
weight of the vehicle including fuel, tools,
spare wheel, installed accessories, pas-
sengers and luggage/cargo must never
exceed the load limit and Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) for your vehicle as
specified on the placard located on the
driver’s door B-pillar (
page 550). In addi-
tion, the load must be distributed in such a
way so that the weight on each axle never
exceeds the Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) for the front and rear axle. The
GVWR and GAWR for your vehicle are indi-
cated on the certification label which can
be found on the driver’s door B-pillar
(
page 550).
For more information, see “Tire and Load-
ing Information” (
page 389).
The handling characteristics of a fully load-
ed vehicle depend greatly on the load dis-
tribution. It is therefore recommended to
load the vehicle according to the illustra-
tions shown, with the heaviest items being
placed towards the front of the vehicle.Please pay attention to and comply with
the following instructions when loading the
vehicle and transporting cargo:

Always place items being carried
against front or rear seat backrests,
and fasten them as securely as possi-
ble.

The heaviest portion of the cargo
should always be kept as low as possi-
ble against front or rear seat backrests.
For additional safety when transporting
cargo while the rear seats are unoccupied,
fasten the outer seat belts crosswise into
the opposite side buckles.
Cargo tie-down rings
Your vehicle is equipped with eight cargo
tie-down rings.
Carefully secure cargo by applying even
load on all rings with rope of sufficient
strength to hold down the cargo.
iThe cargo compartment is the preferred
place to carry objects. The expanded cargo com-
partment (
page 306) should only be used for
items which do not fit in the cargo compartment
alone.
iWhile the cargo net* (page 313) will help
protect you from smaller objects, it cannot pre-
vent the movement of large, heavier objects into
the passenger compartment in an accident, dur-
ing hard braking or sudden maneuvers. Such
items must be properly secured using the cargo
tie-down rings in the cargo compartment floor.

333 Controls in detail
Useful features
System self-check
Initially, after switching on the ignition,
malfunctions are detected and indicated
(the indicator lamps in the SOS button, the
Roadside Assistance button• and the
Information button¡ stay on longer
than 10 seconds or do not come on).
The message
Tele Aid – inoperative
appears in the multifunction display.
iWhen a Tele Aid call has been initiated, the
COMAND system audio is muted and the select-
ed mode (radio, CD etc.) pauses. The optional
cellular phone (if installed) inserted in cradle
switches off. If you must use this phone, we rec-
ommend that you use it only with the vehicle at a
standstill in a safe location. Remove the phone
from the cradle and place the call. The naviga-
tion* system (if engaged) will continue to run.
The display in the instrument cluster is available
for use, and spoken commands are only avail-
able by pressing the RPT button on the COMAND
system. A pop-up window will appear in the
COMAND system display to indicate that a Tele
Aid call is in progress. After the TeleAid call has
ended, the optional cellular phone inserted in the
cradle switches on again. A PIN entry might be
necessary.Warning!G
If the indicator lamps on the SOS button, on
the Roadside Assistance button, and/or on
the Information button remain illuminated
continuously in red and/or the message
Tele Aid – inoperative is displayed in
the multifunction display after the system
self-check, a malfunction in the system has
been detected.
If a malfunction is indicated as outlined
above, the system may not operate as
expected. Have the system checked at the
nearest Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center
as soon as possible.