2008 MERCEDES-BENZ GL550 fuel

112 Controls in detail
In the “Controls in detail” section you will
find detailed information on how to oper-
ate the equipment installed in your vehicle.
If you are already familiar with the basic
functions of your vehicle, this section will
be of particular interest to you.
To quickly familiarize yourself with the ba-
sic functions of the vehicle, refer to the
“Getting started” section of this manual.
The corresponding page numbers are
given at the beginning of each segment.
Locking and unlocking
For more information on locking and un-
locking, see the “Getting started” section
(
page 40) and (page 70).
SmartKey
Your vehicle comes supplied with two
SmartKeys, each with remote control and a
removable mechanical key.
The SmartKey provides an extended oper-
ating range. To prevent theft, however, it is
advisable to only unlock the vehicle when
you are in close proximity to it.
The SmartKey centrally locks and unlocks:

the doors

the tailgate

the fuel filler flap
SmartKey with remote control
1‹ Lock button
2Š Unlock button* for tailgate
3Locking tab for mechanical key
4ΠUnlock button
5Battery check lamp
6Â Panic button (
page 100)
164.boo Seite 112 Freitag, 30. März 2007 12:54 12

114 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Factory setting
Global unlocking
Press buttonŒ.
All turn signal lamps flash once. The
locking knobs in the doors move up.
The anti-theft alarm system is
disarmed.
The vehicle will lock again automatically
and rearm the anti-theft alarm system
within approximately 40 seconds of un-
locking if

neither door nor tailgate is opened

the SmartKey is not inserted in the
starter switch

the central locking switch is not
activatedGlobal locking
Press button‹.
With the tailgate and all doors closed,
the turn signal lamps flash three times.
The locking knobs in the doors move
down. The anti-theft alarm system is
armed.
Selective setting
If you frequently travel alone, you may wish
to reprogram the SmartKey so that
pressing buttonΠonly unlocks the
driver’s door and the fuel filler flap.
Press and hold buttonsŒ and‹
simultaneously for about 5 seconds
until battery check lamp5
(
page 112) flashes twice.
The SmartKey will then function as
follows:Unlocking driver’s door and fuel filler
flap
Press buttonΠonce.
All turn signal lamps flash once. The
locking knob in the driver’s door moves
up. The anti-theft alarm system is
disarmed.
Global unlocking
Press buttonΠtwice.
All turn signal lamps flash once. The
locking knobs in the doors move up.
The anti-theft alarm system is
disarmed.
164.boo Seite 114 Freitag, 30. März 2007 12:54 12

115 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Global locking
Press button‹.
With the tailgate and all doors closed,
the turn signal lamps flash three times.
The locking knobs in the doors move
down. The anti-theft alarm system is
armed.
Restoring to factory setting
Press and hold buttonsŒ and‹
simultaneously for about 5 seconds
until battery check lamp5
(
page 112) flashes twice.
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
Vehicles equipped with KEYLESS-GO come
with two SmartKeys with KEYLESS-GO,
each with remote control and a removable
mechanical key.
The KEYLESS-GO function is integrated
into the SmartKey. On these vehicles, the
validity of the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO
is checked when you grasp an outside door
handle.
If the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO is valid,
your vehicle unlocks

the doors

the tailgate

the fuel filler flap
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
1‹ Lock button
2Š Unlock button* for tailgate
3Locking tab for mechanical key
4ΠUnlock button
5Battery check lamp
6Â Panic button (
page 100)
164.boo Seite 115 Freitag, 30. März 2007 12:54 12

119 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Global locking
Press the lock button on an outside
door handle (
page 71).
With the tailgate and all doors closed,
the turn signal lamps flash three times.
The locking knobs in the doors move
down. The anti-theft alarm system is
armed.
Selective setting
If you frequently travel alone, you may wish
to reprogram the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO so when you grasp the
driver’s door handle only the driver’s door
and the fuel filler flap unlocks.
Press and hold buttonsŒ and‹
simultaneously for about 5 seconds
until battery check lamp5
(
page 115) flashes twice.
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO will
then function as follows:Unlocking driver’s door and fuel filler
flap
Grasp the driver’s outside door handle.
All turn signal lamps flash once. The
locking knob in the driver’s door moves
up. The anti-theft alarm system is dis-
armed.
Global unlocking
Grasp any outside door handle other
than the driver’s outside door handle.
All turn signal lamps flash once. The
locking knobs in the doors move up.
The anti-theft alarm system is dis-
armed.Global locking
Press the lock button on an outside
door handle (
page 71).
All turn signal lamps flash three times.
The locking knobs in the doors move
down. The anti-theft alarm system is
armed.
Restoring to factory setting
Press and hold buttonsŒ and‹
simultaneously for about 5 seconds
until battery check lamp5
(
page 115) flashes twice.
164.boo Seite 119 Freitag, 30. März 2007 12:54 12

128 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Automatic central locking
The doors and the tailgate lock automati-
cally when the ignition is switched on and
the wheels are turning at vehicle speeds of
approximately 9 mph (15 km/h) or more.
For information on towing the vehicle, see
“Towing the vehicle” (
page 538).
You can deactivate the automatic central
locking mode using the control system
(
page 180).
Locking and unlocking from the inside
You can lock or unlock the doors and the
tailgate from inside using the central lock-
ing or unlocking switch. This can be useful,
for example, if you want to lock the vehicle
before starting to drive.
The fuel filler flap cannot be locked or un-
locked with the central locking or unlock-
ing switch.Even with the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
removed from the vehicle, the tailgate
closing switch can be operated. Therefore,
do not leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle. A
child’s unsupervised access to a vehicle
could result in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.
iTo prevent a possible inadvertent lockout,
the tailgate will open automatically if a SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO* is recognized inside the
vehicle.
iYou can open a locked door from the inside.
Open door only when conditions are safe to do
so.
iThe doors unlock automatically after an
accident if the force of the impact exceeds a
preset threshold.
The vehicle automatically locks when the ignition
is switched on and the wheels are turning at
vehicle speeds of approximately 9 mph
(15 km/h) or more. You could therefore lock
yourself out when the vehicle

is pushed or towed

is on a test stand
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
from the starter switch, take it with you, and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. A child’s unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an
accident and/or serious personal injury.

164.boo Seite 128 Freitag, 30. März 2007 12:54 12

153 Controls in detail
Instrument cluster
Adjusting instrument cluster illumina-
tion
Use button1 or3 to adjust the illumina-
tion brightness for the instrument cluster.
To brighten illumination
Press and hold button3 until the
desired level of illumination is reached.
To dim illumination
Press and hold button1 until the
desired level of illumination is reached.
Resetting trip odometer
Make sure you are viewing the trip odome-
ter display (
page 155).
If it is not displayed, press buttonè
orÿ on the multifunction steering
wheel (
page 156) repeatedly until
the trip odometer appears in the multi-
function display.
Press and hold reset button2 in the
instrument cluster (
page 152) until
the trip odometer is reset.
Tachometer
The red marking on the tachometer
(
page 26) denotes excessive engine
speed.To help protect the engine, the fuel supply
is interrupted if the engine is operated
within the red marking.
Outside temperature indicator
The outside temperature is displayed in the
multifunction display (
page 155).
iThe instrument cluster illumination is
dimmed or brightened automatically to suit am-
bient light conditions.
The instrument cluster illumination will also be
adjusted automatically when you switch on the
vehicle’s exterior lamps.
iWith the exterior lighting switched on, the
brightness of the switches in the center console
will also be adjusted when using button
1 or3.
!Avoid driving at excessive engine speeds, as
it may result in serious engine damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Warning!G
The outside temperature indicator is not de-
signed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
164.boo Seite 153 Freitag, 30. März 2007 12:54 12

161 Controls in detail
Control system
Menus, submenus and functions
Menu6Menu7Menu8Menu9Menua
Vehicle status message
memory1
1The vehicle status message memory menu is only displayed if there is a message stored.
SettingsVehicle configurationTrip computerTEL*
(page 167)(page 168)(page 182)(page 184)(page 186)
Commands/submenus
Calling up malfunction mes-
sages, warning messages, and
system status messages
stored in memoryResetting to factory
settingsDistance warning
function*on/offFuel consumption
statistics since startLoading phone
book
Instrument cluster
submenuDSR (Downhill Speed
Regulation) pro-
grammed default speedFuel consumption statis-
tics since the last resetSearching for name
in phone book
Time/Date submenuResetting fuel consump-
tion statistics
Lighting submenuDistance to empty
Vehicle submenu
Comfort submenu*
iThe headings used in the menus table are
designed to facilitate navigation within the sys-
tem and are not necessarily identical to thoseshown in the control system displays. The first
function displayed in each menu will
automatically show you which part of the system
you are in.
164.boo Seite 161 Freitag, 30. März 2007 12:54 12

184 Controls in detail
Control system
Press buttonæ orç repeatedly
until the desired speed is shown in the
multifunction display.
When DSR is switched on, DSR will use
the programmed default speed to regu-
late the vehicle’s speed.Trip computer menu
Use the trip computer menu to call up
statistical data on your vehicle.
The following information is available:Fuel consumption statistics since start
Press buttonÿ orè repeatedly
until the message
From Start appears
in the multifunction display.
1Distance driven since start
2Time elapsed since start
3Average speed since start
4Average fuel consumption since start
iOnce DSR is switched on, you can adjust the
set speed using the cruise control lever
(
page 276).
FunctionPage
Fuel consumption statistics
since start184
Fuel consumption statistics
since last reset185
Resetting fuel consumption
statistics185
Distance to empty185
iWhen you enter the trip computer menu, you
will always see the fuel consumption statistics
since start first.
iAll statistics stored since the last engine
start will be reset approximately 4 hours after
the SmartKey in the starter switch is turned to
position0 or removed from the starter switch.
Resetting will not occur if you turn the SmartKey
back to position1 or2 within this time period.

164.boo Seite 184 Freitag, 30. März 2007 12:54 12