2007 MERCEDES-BENZ GL450 ac controls

298 Controls in detail
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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).

299 Controls in detail
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Otherwise, the basic cross bars
(
page 300), mounted accessories and the
objects attached to them could come loose
from the vehicle causing an accident, there-
by injuring you and other persons and/or
causing damage to property, including dam-
age to your vehicle.
Warning!G
A roof load creates a greater surface area
exposed to the wind and causes the vehicle
to have a higher center of gravity, thereby
changing the vehicle’s driving characteris-
tics. Accordingly, the additional weight on
the roof of the vehicle can have a detrimen-
tal effect on braking, cornering and acceler-
ation.
Never exceed the maximum permissible
roof load or the maximum permissible vehi-
cle weight, even when accessories for the
basic cross bars (e.g. ski racks, bicycle
racks, etc.) are being used. Overloading the
vehicle could result in an accident. When
calculating the weight placed on the roof
please make sure to add the weight of the
basic cross, accessory racks and the load
carried together.
Always adapt your driving style to the road,
traffic and weather conditions, and drive
with added caution when the roof is loaded.
Always drive with extreme care when the
roof rack is loaded. Take into consideration
that when the roof rack is loaded, the han-
dling characteristics are different from
those when operating the vehicles without a
roof rack loaded.Warning!G
Do not use accessories which have not been
approved by Mercedes-Benz for use in con-
junction with these basic cross bars. If
non-approved accessories are used, these
accessories and/or the objects attached to
them could come loose from the vehicle,
thereby injuring you and other persons
and/or causing damage to property, includ-
ing damage to your vehicle.
!Have a second person assist you when
installing the basic cross bars. The vehicle could
otherwise be damaged.
!Objects attached to the basic cross bar
system’s accessories must not be allowed to
restrict the movement of the tilt/sliding sunroof.
The tilt/sliding sunroof could otherwise be dam-
aged when it is raised.

300 Controls in detail
Loading
1Key
2Cover cap
3Sticker FRONT (or REAR)
4Screw for clamping claw
5Clamping claw
The front and rear basic cross bars are of
different lengths. Please pay close atten-
tion to stickers3 FRONT and REAR on the
basic cross bars.
Unlock cover cap2 with key1.
Remove cover cap2.
Sticker3 indicating the location,
FRONT or REAR, becomes visible.
Turn screw4 counterclockwise with
the included Allen wrench until
clamping claw5 is wide open.
6Front basic cross bar
7Rear basic cross bar
8Gaps
9Markings
aRoof rails
Place front basic cross bar6 between
markings9 on roof railsa.4Screw for clamping claw
5Clamping claw
aRoof rail
Make sure clamping claw5 lies flush
against the inside of roof raila as
shown in the illustration.
If necessary, adjust clamping width of
basic cross bars (
page 301).
Slightly tighten screw4 on both sides
by turning it clockwise.
iMarkings9 are located on the inside of
each roof rail, indicated by the white lines in the
illustration.

301 Controls in detail
Loading
Place rear basic cross bar7 on roof
railsa i n s u c h a w a y t h a t t h e c l a m p i n g
claws reach into gaps8 (
page 300)
on the roof rails.
Make sure clamping claw5 lies flush
against the inside of roof raila as
shown in the illustration (
page 300).
If necessary, adjust clamping width of
basic cross bars (
page 301).
Slightly tighten screw4 on both sides
by turning it clockwise.
On the front and rear basic cross bars
tighten screws4. Observe a
tightening torque of 4 lb-ft (6 Nm).
Attach cover caps (page 300) and
lock them.
Store key and Allen wrench back into
the storage well (
page 495).
Adjusting the clamping widths of the
basic cross barsThe clamping widths of the basic cross
bars are factory set for your vehicle. These
clamping widths are solely intended for the
designated positions.
Only install the basic cross bars at the des-
ignated locations and pay attention to the
stickers3 FRONT and REAR
(
page 300).
4Screw for clamping claw
5Clamping claw
bScrews for adjusting clamping width
(2 in total for each side)
cCover strip
Warning!G
Have the tightening torque checked after
mounting the basic cross bars. The screws
could come loose if they are not tightened to
a torque of 4 lb-ft (6 Nm).
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).
Otherwise, the basic cross bars
(
page 300), mounted accessories and the
objects attached to them could come loose
from the vehicle causing an accident, there-
by injuring you and other persons and/or
causing damage to property, including dam-
age to your vehicle.


302 Controls in detail
Loading
Pull cover stripc out of groove until
you see screwsb on each end of the
basic cross bar.
Turn screwsb on both sides counter-
clockwise approximately 2 rotations.
Place the basic cross bar at designated
locations (
page 300) on roof rails.
On both sides, make sure the clamping
claws5 lie flush against the roof rails.
If necessary pull out or push in the
clamping claws5.
Tighten screwsb. Observe a
tightening torque of 4 lb-ft (6 Nm).
The width of the clamping claws is
correctly adjusted.
Press cover stripc piece by piece into
groove of basic cross bar.
Install the basic cross bars as
described (
page 300).Removing the basic cross bars
1Key
2Cover cap
3Sticker FRONT (or REAR)
4Screw for clamping claw
5Clamping claw
Unlock cover cap2 with key1.
Remove cover cap2.
Turn screws for clamping claws5
counterclockwise until the basic cross
bars can be lifted from the roof rails.Shortening the cover strip
The cover strips reduce the wind noise
caused by the basic cross bars. In order to
install add-on roof equipment, it may be
necessary to shorten the cover strips.
cCover strip
Pull cover stripc out of groove.


303 Controls in detail
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Attach add-on roof equipment to the
basic cross bars.
Place cover stripc flush against the
add-on roof equipment, and mark the
end of basic cross bar on cover strip.
Cut off cover stripc at marked loca-
tion.
Press cover stripc piece by piece into
groove of the basic cross bar.
Loading instructions
Load distribution
iCover strips are available as Mercedes-Benz
accessories. Contact your Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
Warning!G
Always fasten items being carried as secure-
ly as possible using cargo tie-down rings and
fastening materials appropriate for the
weight and size of the load.
In an accident, during hard braking or sud-
den maneuvers, loose items will be thrown
around inside the vehicle, and can cause in-
jury to vehicle occupants unless the items
are securely fastened in the vehicle.
To help avoid personal injury during a colli-
sion or sudden maneuver, always use tie
down rings, and if so equipped, always use
the cargo net* when transporting cargo.
Never drive vehicle with the tailgate open.
Deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may
enter vehicle interior resulting in uncon-
sciousness and death.

304 Controls in detail
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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.

305 Controls in detail
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Cargo compartment
Four cargo tie-down rings are located in
the cargo compartment.
1Cargo tie-down ringSecond seat-row
Two cargo tie-down rings are located in the
footwell behind the driver’s and passenger
seat.
1Cargo tie-down ringThird seat-row
Two cargo tie-down rings are located be-
hind the third-row seat backrest.
For information on how to fold the
third-row seats, see “Expanding cargo
compartment” (
page 306).
1Cargo tie-down ring
The maximum permissible weight per
cargo tie-down ring is 331 lb (150 kg).