2008 MERCEDES-BENZ GL550 page 164

418 Operation
Tires and wheels
Tire ply composition and material used
This indicates the number of plies or the
number of layers of rubber-coated fabric in
the tire tread and sidewall. Tire manufac-
turers also must indicate the ply materials
in the tire and sidewall, which include
steel, nylon, polyester, and others.
Tire speed rating
Part of tire designation; indicates the
speed range for which a tire is approved.
Total load limit
Rated cargo and luggage load plus
68 kilograms (150 lbs) times the vehicle’s
designated seating capacity.
Traction
Force exerted by the vehicle on the road
via the tires. The amount of grip provided.Tread
The portion of a tire that comes into
contact with the road.
Treadwear indicators
Narrow bands, sometimes called
“wear bars” that show across the tread of
a tire when only
1/16in (1.6 mm) of tread
remains.
TWR (T
ongue Weight Rating)
Maximum permissible weight on trailer
tongue.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
A tire information system that provides
consumers with ratings for a tire’s traction,
temperature and treadwear. Ratings are
determined by tire manufacturers using
government testing procedures. The
ratings are molded into the sidewall of the
tire.Vehicle maximum load on the tire
Load on an individual tire that is
determined by distributing to each axle its
share of the maximum loaded vehicle
weight and dividing it by two.
Rotating tires
Tire rotation can be performed on vehicles
with tires of the same dimension all
around. If your vehicle is equipped with
tires of the same dimension all around,
tires can be rotated, observing a
front-to-rear rotation pattern that will
maintain the intended rotation (spinning)
direction of the tire (
page 387).
Warning!G
Rotate front and rear wheels only if they are
of the same dimension.
If your vehicle is equipped with mixed-size
tires (different tire dimensions front vs.
rear), tire rotation is not possible.
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419 Operation
Tires and wheels
In some cases, such as when your vehicle
is equipped with mixed-size tires (different
tire dimension front vs. rear), tire rotation
is not possible.
If applicable to your vehicle’s tire configu-
ration, tires can be rotated according to
the tire manufacturer’s recommended in-
tervals in the tire manufacturer’s warranty
pamphlet located in your vehicle literature
portfolio. If none is available, tires should
be rotated every 3 000 to 6 000 miles
(5 000 to 10 000 km), or sooner if neces-
sary, according to the degree of tire wear.
The same rotation (spinning) direction
must be maintained (
page 387).
Rotate tires before the characteristic tire
wear pattern becomes visible (shoulder
wear on front tires and tread center wear
on rear tires).
Thoroughly clean the mounting face of
wheels and brake disks, i.e. the inner side
of the wheels/tires, during each rotation.
Check for and ensure proper tire inflation
pressure.For information on wheel change, see the
“Practical hints” section (
page 490) and
(
page 519).
Warning!G
Have the tightening torque checked after
changing a wheel. Wheels could become
loose if not tightened with a torque of
110 lb-ft (150 Nm).
Only use genuine Mercedes-Benz wheel
bolts specified for your vehicle’s rims.
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420 Operation
Winter driving
Before the onset of winter, have your
vehicle winterized at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center. This
service includes:

Check of anticorrosion and antifreeze
concentration.

Addition of cleaning concentrate to the
water of the windshield and headlamp
cleaning system. Add MB Concentrate
“MB SummerFit” to a premixed wind-
shield washer solvent/antifreeze
which is formulated for temperatures
below freezing point (
page 569).

Battery test. Battery capacity drops
with decreasing ambient temperature.
A well charged battery helps to make
sure that the engine can be started
even at low ambient temperatures.

Tire change. Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends M+S rated radial-ply tires with a
minimum tread depth of approximately
1/6in (4 mm) on all four wheels for the
winter season.
Winter tires
Always use winter tires at temperatures
below 45°F (7°C) and whenever wintry
road conditions prevail. Not all M+S rated
tires provide special winter performance.
Make sure the tires you use show the
mountain/snowflake.marking on the
tire sidewall. These tires meet specific
snow traction performance requirements
of the Rubber Manufacturers Association
(RMA) and The Rubber Association of Can-
ada (RAC) and have been designed specif-
ically for use in snow conditions. Use of
winter tires is the only way to achieve the
maximum effectiveness of the ABS, ESP
®,
4-ETS, and EBP in winter operation.
For safe handling, make sure all mounted
winter tires are of the same make and have
the same tread design.Always observe the speed rating of the
winter tires installed on your vehicle. If the
maximum speed for which your tires are
rated is below the speed rating of your
vehicle, you must place a notice to this
effect where it will be seen by the driver.
Such notices are available from your tire
dealer or from any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Warning!G
Winter tires with a tread depth of less than 1/6in (4 mm) must be replaced. They are no
longer suitable for winter operation.
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421 Operation
Winter driving
Snow chains
Snow chains should only be driven on
snow-covered roads at speeds not to
exceed 30 mph (50 km/h). Remove chains
as soon as possible when driving on roads
without snow.Please observe the following guidelines
when using snow chains:

Use of snow chains is not permissible
with all wheel/tire combinations
(
page 555).

Snow chains should only be used on
the rear wheels. Follow the manufac-
turer’s mounting instructions.

Only use snow chains that are
approved by Mercedes-Benz. Any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center will be glad to advise you on this
subject.

Use of snow chains may be prohibited
depending on location. Always check
local and state laws before installing
snow chains.

Do not use snow chains on the spare
wheel (
page 558).
Warning!G
If you use your spare tire when winter tires
are fitted on the other wheels, be aware that
the difference in tire characteristics may
very well impair turning stability and that
overall driving stability may be reduced.
Adapt your driving style accordingly.
Have the spare tire replaced with a winter
tire at the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.!Even on vehicles with all-wheel-drive use
snow chains on rear tires only.
Some tire sizes do not leave adequate clearance
for snow chains. To help avoid serious damage to
your vehicle or tires, use of snow chains is not
permissible with the spare wheel.
!Vehicles with ADS*:
When driving with snow chains, do not select
SPORT mode (
page 279).
iWhen driving with snow chains, you may
wish to deactivate the ESP® (page 105)
before setting the vehicle in motion. This will
improve the vehicle’s traction.
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423 Operation
Maintenance
Clearing the maintenance service
indicator message
The maintenance service indicator mes-
sage is automatically cleared

after approximately 10 seconds when
you switch on the ignition or when
reaching the maintenance service
threshold while driving

after approximately 30 seconds, once
the suggested maintenance service
term has passedYou can also clear it yourself:
1Reset button
Press reset button1 on the instru-
ment cluster.
The maintenance service indicator
message is cleared and the standard
display appears in the multifunction
display (
page 162).Maintenance service term exceeded
If you have exceeded the suggested main-
tenance service term, you will see the fol-
lowing message in the multifunction
display:
Service A Exceeded By XXXXX Miles (Km)
Service A Exceeded By XXX Days
Service A Exceeded By X Day
In addition, a signal sounds when the
message appears.
Any authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center will reset the maintenance service
indicator following a completed mainte-
nance service.
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424 Operation
Maintenance
Calling up the maintenance service
indicator display
You can call up the maintenance service in-
dicator display at any time to check when
the next maintenance service is due.
Switch on the ignition (page 42).
Press buttonè orÿ on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel repeatedly
until the standard display appears in
the multifunction display (
page 162).
Press buttonk orj until the
maintenance service indicator display
with the service symbol9 and the
service deadline appears in the multi-
function display.Resetting the maintenance service
indicator
In the event that the maintenance service
on your vehicle is not carried out by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center, you can have the maintenance
service indicator reset. The automotive
maintenance facility carrying out the
maintenance service will find the informa-
tion for resetting the maintenance service
indicator in the maintenance-relevant
information for your vehicle. Such informa-
tion is available from any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center or di-
rectly from Mercedes-Benz.
iIf the battery is disconnected, the days of
disconnection will not be included in the count
shown by the maintenance service indicator.To arrive at the true maintenance service dead-
line, you will need to subtract these days from
the days shown in the maintenance service indi-
cator message or maintenance service indicator
display.
Do not confuse the maintenance service indica-
tor with the engine oil level indicatorN.
!If the maintenance service indicator was
inadvertently reset, have an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center correct it.
Only reset if the proper maintenance service has
been performed. Resetting the system without
performing the proper service as called for by
the maintenance service indicator will result in
engine damage and/or other vehicle damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
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428 Operation
Vehicle care
Automatic car wash
You can have your car washed in an auto-
matic car wash from the start. Automatic
car washes without brushes are prefera-
ble.
To protect the filter system, switch the
climate control system (
page 216) or
the automatic climate control system*
(
page 230) to air recirculation mode.
If the vehicle is very dirty, prewash it
before running it through the automatic
car wash.When taking the vehicle through an auto-
matic conveyor type car wash, observe the
following instructions.Vehicles with SmartKey:
With the vehicle at a standstill and the
ignition switched on shift the automatic
transmission to neutral positionN.
If engaged, release the parking brake
(
page 59).
Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the starter switch.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.
With the ignition switched on shift the
automatic transmission to park
positionP.
Release the brake pedal.
Remove the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button from the starter switch
(
page 43).
Insert the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* into the starter switch.
Switch on the ignition.
!Do not clean your vehicle in an automatic
touchless car wash which use caustic spray.
Otherwise the caustic spray will damage the
paint or ornamental moldings.
!Make sure that the windshield wiper switch
is set to0 (
page 63). Otherwise, e.g. the rain
sensor could activate and cause the wipers to
move unintentionally. This may lead to vehicle
damage.
Due to the width of the vehicle, fold in exterior
rear view mirrors prior to running the vehicle
through an automatic car wash to prevent
damage to the mirrors.
Warning!G
When leaving the SmartKey or SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO* in the starter switch, do
not leave children unattended in the vehicle.
It is possible for children to switch on the
ignition which could result in unsupervised
use of vehicle equipment.
A child’s unsupervised access to a vehicle
could result in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.
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429 Operation
Vehicle care
Depress the brake pedal.
Shift the automatic transmission to
neutral positionN.
Release the brake pedal.
If engaged, release the parking brake
(
page 59).
Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* in the
starter switch.Ornamental moldings
For regular cleaning and care of ornamen-
tal moldings, use a damp cloth.Headlamps, brake lamps, tail lamps,
side markers, turn signal lenses
Use a mild car wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Sham-
poo, with plenty of water.
iAfter running the vehicle through an auto-
matic car wash, wipe any wax off of the wind-
shield (
page 431). This will prevent smears
and reduce wiping noise which can be caused by
residual wax on the windshield.
When leaving the car wash, make sure that the
mirrors are folded out. Otherwise they may
vibrate.
!Do not use chrome cleaner on ornamental
moldings. Although ornamental moldings may
have chrome appearance, they could be made of
anodized aluminum that will be damaged when
cleaned with chrome cleaner. Instead, use a
damp cloth to clean those ornamental moldings.
For very dirty ornamental moldings of which you
are sure are chrome-plated, use a chrome clean-
er. If in doubt whether an ornamental molding is
chrome-plated, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
!Only use window cleaning solutions that are
suitable for plastic lamp lenses. Window clean-
ing solutions which are not suitable may damage
the plastic lamp lenses of the headlamps. There-
fore, do not use abrasives, solvents or cleaners
that contain solvents.
Never apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the lenses.
Do not attempt to wipe dirty lenses with a dry
cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the lens
surface.
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