2008 MERCEDES-BENZ GL320 Owner's Manual

296 Controls in detail
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Installing the crossbars
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 crossbars. Also, be careful not to injure
yourself or others while installing and ad-
justing the crossbars 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 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 crossbars are mounted, be-
fore you set off on a journey and periodically
during longer journeys, check all the screws
on the bars to make sure that they are se-
cure, 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 crossbars, mounted acces-
sories 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 proper-
ty, including damage to your vehicle.
Do not use lubricant on the screws of the
crossbars. The screws could work loose and
the crossbars could become detached from
your vehicle, together with the objects at-
tached to them causing an accident, thereby
injuring you and other persons and/or caus-
ing damage to property, including damage
to your vehicle.
Warning!G
Only install the crossbars at the exact loca-
tions designated on the roof rails. The desig-
nated locations for the front crossbars are
between the markings engraved on the in-
side of the roof rails (
page 298). The des-
ignated locations for the rear crossbars are
between the gaps on the roof rails
(
page 298).
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297 Controls in detail
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Otherwise, the crossbars (page 298),
mounted accessories and the objects at-
tached to them could come loose from the
vehicle causing an accident, thereby injuring
you and other persons and/or causing dam-
age to property, including damage 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
crossbars (e.g. ski racks, bicycle racks, etc.)
are being used. Overloading the vehicle
could result in an accident. When calculat-
ing the weight placed on the roof please
make sure to add the weight of the cross-
bars, 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 crossbars. If non-ap-
proved 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 crossbars. The vehicle could other-
wise be damaged.
!Objects attached to the crossbar system’s
accessories must not be allowed to restrict the
movement of the tilt/sliding sunroof. The
tilt/sliding sunroof could otherwise be damaged
when it is raised.
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298 Controls in detail
Loading
1Key
2Cover cap
3Sticker FRONT (or REAR)
4Screw for clamping claw
5Clamping claw
The front and rear crossbars are of differ-
ent lengths. Please pay close attention to
stickers3 FRONT and REAR on the 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 crossbar
7Rear crossbar
8Gaps
9Markings
aRoof rails
Place front crossbar6 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
crossbars (
page 299).
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.
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299 Controls in detail
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Place rear crossbar7 on roof railsa
in such a way that the clamping claws
reach into gaps8 (
page 298) on the
roof rails.
Make sure clamping claw5 lies flush
against the inside of roof raila as
shown in the illustration (
page 298).
If necessary, adjust clamping width of
crossbars (
page 299).
Slightly tighten screw4 on both sides
by turning it clockwise.
On the front and rear crossbars tighten
screws4. Observe a tightening
torque of 4 lb-ft (6 Nm).
Attach cover caps (page 298) and
lock them.
Store key and Allen wrench back into
the storage well (
page 490).
Adjusting the clamping widths of the
crossbarsThe clamping widths of the crossbars are
factory set for your vehicle. These clamp-
ing widths are solely intended for the des-
ignated positions.
Only install the crossbars at the designat-
ed locations and pay attention to the
stickers3 FRONT and REAR
(
page 298).
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 crossbars. The screws could
come loose if they are not tightened to a
torque of 4 lb-ft (6 Nm).
Warning!G
Only install the crossbars at the exact loca-
tions designated on the roof rails. The desig-
nated locations for the front crossbars are
between the markings engraved on the in-
side of the roof rails (
page 298). The des-
ignated locations for the rear crossbars are
between the gaps on the roof rails
(
page 298).
Otherwise, the crossbars (
page 298),
mounted accessories and the objects at-
tached to them could come loose from the
vehicle causing an accident, thereby injuring
you and other persons and/or causing dam-
age to property, including damage to your
vehicle.

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300 Controls in detail
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Pull cover stripc out of groove until
you see screwsb on each end of the
crossbar.
Turn screwsb on both sides counter-
clockwise approximately 2 rotations.
Place the crossbar at designated loca-
tions (
page 298) 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 crossbar.
Install the crossbars as described
(
page 298).
Removing the crossbars
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 crossbars
can be lifted from the roof rails.
Shortening the cover strip
The cover strips reduce the wind noise
caused by the crossbars. In order to install
add-on roof equipment, it may be neces-
sary to shorten the cover strips.
cCover strip
Pull cover stripc out of groove.
Warning!G
Have the tightening torque checked after
mounting the crossbars. The screws could
come loose if they are not tightened to a
torque of 4 lb-ft (6 Nm).

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301 Controls in detail
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Attach add-on roof equipment to the
crossbars.
Place cover stripc flush against the
add-on roof equipment, and mark the
end of crossbar on cover strip.
Cut off cover stripc at marked loca-
tion.
Press cover stripc piece by piece into
groove of the crossbar.
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.
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302 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 388).
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 304) should only be used for
items which do not fit in the cargo compartment
alone.
iWhile the cargo net* (page 312) 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.
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303 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 304).
1Cargo tie-down ring
The maximum permissible weight per
cargo tie-down ring is 331 lb (150 kg).
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