2008 MERCEDES-BENZ GL550 engine

175 Controls in detail
Control system
Lighting submenu
Access the
Lighting submenu via the
Settings menu. Use the Lighting
submenu to change the lamp and lighting
settings on your vehicle.
The following functions are available:
Setting daytime running lamp mode
(USA only)
Move the selection marker with
buttonæ orç to the
Lighting
submenu.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until the message
Lamp Circuit
Headlamp
appears in the multifunction
display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
Press buttonæ orç to select
manual operation (
Manual) or daytime
running lamp mode (
Constant).
With daytime running lamp mode activated
and the exterior lamp switch in
positionMorU, the low beam
headlamps are switched on when the
engine is running.In low ambient light conditions the
following lamps will switch on additionally:

Parking lamps

Tail lamps

License plate lamps

Side marker lamps
For more information on the daytime
running lamp mode, see “Lighting”
(
page 143).
FunctionPage
Setting daytime running lamp
mode (USA only)175
Setting locator lighting176
Setting night security illumination176
Setting interior lighting delayed
shut-off177
iThis function is not available in countries
where the daytime running lamp mode is
mandatory and therefore in a constant mode.
iFor safety reasons, changing the setting for
the daytime running lamp mode is not possible
while the vehicle is in motion. The following
message appears in the multifunction display:
Settings
can only be made
at a standstill.
For safety reasons, resetting to factory settings
(
page 169) while driving will not deactivate the
daytime running lamp mode.
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176 Controls in detail
Control system
Setting locator lighting
With the locator lighting feature activated,
the exterior lamp switch in positionU
(
page 143) and the interior lighting in au-
tomatic mode (
page 150), the following
lamps will switch on during darkness when
the vehicle is unlocked using buttonŒ
on the SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO:

Parking lamps

Tail lamps

License plate lamps

Side marker lamps

Front fog lamps
The locator lighting switches off when the
driver’s door is opened.
If you do not open a door after unlocking
the vehicle with the SmartKey, the lamps
will switch off automatically after
approximately 40 seconds.
Move the selection marker with
buttonæ orç to the
Lighting
submenu.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until the message
Surround Lighting
Function
appears in the multifunction
display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
Press buttonæ orç to switch
the locator lighting function
On orOff.
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionU when exiting the vehicle.
The locator lighting feature is
activated.Setting night security illumination
(Headlamps delayed shut-off)
Use this function to set whether you would
like the exterior lamps to remain on for
15 seconds during darkness after exiting
the vehicle and closing all doors.
With the headlamps delayed shut-off
feature activated and the exterior lamp
switch in positionU before the engine
is turned off, the following lamps will
switch on when the engine is turned off:

Parking lamps

Tail lamps

License plate lamps

Side marker lamps

Front fog lamps
If after turning off the engine you do not
open a door or do not close an opened
door, the lamps will automatically switch
off after 60 seconds.
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177 Controls in detail
Control system
Move the selection marker with
buttonæ orç to the
Lighting
submenu.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until the message
Headlamp Delayed
Shut-off
appears in the multifunction
display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
Press buttonæ orç to switch
the headlamps delayed shut-off feature
On or Off.
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionU before turning off the
engine.
The headlamps delayed shut-off
feature is activated.
You can temporarily deactivate the
headlamps delayed shut-off feature:
Before exiting the vehicle, turn the
SmartKey in the starter switch to
position0.
Then turn it to position2 and back
to0.
The headlamps delayed shut-off
feature is deactivated. It will reactivate
as soon as you reinsert the SmartKey in
the starter switch.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
Press KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
in the starter switch (
page 43).Setting interior lighting delayed shut-off
Use this function to set whether you would
like the interior lighting to remain on for
10 seconds during darkness after you have
removed the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Move the selection marker with
buttonæ orç to the
Lighting
submenu.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until the message
Interior Lighting
Delayed Shut-off
appears in the
multifunction display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
Press buttonæ orç to switch
the interior lighting delayed shut-off
feature
On orOff.
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179 Controls in detail
Control system
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until the message
Compass Setting
Zone
appears in the multifunction
display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
Press buttonæ orç to set the
respective compass zone.
For information on how to call up the
compass, see “Compass” (
page 344).Compass calibration
This function is not available if your vehicle
is equipped with the COMAND system and
navigation module*.
In order to calibrate the compass properly,
mind the following:

Calibrate the compass in open terrain.
Nearby buildings, bridges, power lines
and large antenna masts, for example,
could impair compass calibration.

Switch off electrical consumers (e.g.
climate control, windshield wipers, or
rear window defroster).

Close all doors and the tailgate.
Start the engine (page 56).
Press buttonæ orç to move
the selection marker to the
Vehicle
submenu.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until the message
Compass Calibration appears in the
multifunction display.
The selection marker is on setting
switched Off.
Press buttonæ to set the selection
marker to
Start.
The following message appears in the
multifunction display:
Compass Calibration Active
Please drive in a full circle.
iMake sure you are in area where you can
drive a full circle with your vehicle without dis-
turbing traffic in order to calibrate the compass.

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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.

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186 Controls in detail
Control system
TEL* menu
You can use the functions in the
TEL menu
to operate your telephone, provided it is
connected to a hands-free system and
switched on.
Switch on the telephone and COMAND
system.
Press buttonÿ orè on the
multifunction steering wheel repeated-
ly until the message
TEL appears in the
multifunction display.Which messages will appear in the multi-
function display depends on whether your
telephone is switched on or off:

If the telephone is off, the message
TEL Off appears in the multifunction
display.

If the telephone is on:
The telephone will then search for a
network. During this time the multi-
function display is empty.
As soon as the telephone has found a
network, the message
Ready appears in
the multifunction display.
This standby message indicates that your
telephone is ready for use and you can
operate it using the control system.
Warning!G
A driver’s attention to the road must always
be his/her primary focus when driving. For
your safety and the safety of others, we rec-
ommend that you pull over to a safe location
and stop before placing or taking a tele-
phone call. If you choose to use the tele-
phone while driving, please use the
hands-free device and only use the tele-
phone when weather, road and traffic condi-
tions permit.
Some jurisdictions prohibit the driver from
using a cellular telephone while driving a ve-
hicle.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet
(approximately 14 m) every second.
Never operate radio transmitters equipped
with a built-in or attached antenna (i.e. with-
out being connected to an external antenna)
from inside the vehicle while the engine is
running. Doing so could lead to a malfunc-
tion of the vehicle’s electronic system, pos-
sibly resulting in an accident and/or
personal injury.
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189 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
For more information on driving with an
automatic transmission, see “Automatic
transmission” (
page 56).
Your vehicle’s transmission adapts its gear
shifting process to your individual driving
style by continually adjusting the shift
points up or down. These shift point adjust-
ments are performed based on current
operating and driving conditions.
If the operating conditions change, the
automatic transmission reacts by
adjusting its shift program.
Gear selector lever
The gear selector lever is located on the
right of the steering column.
Gearshift pattern for automatic
transmission
PPark position
RReverse gear
NNeutral
DDrive position
iDuring the brief warm-up, transmission
upshifting is delayed. This allows the catalytic
converter (gasoline engine) or the oxidation
catalyst (diesel engine) to heat up more quickly
to operating temperature.
Warning!G
Make sure that absolutely no objects are
obstructing the pedal’s range of movement.
Keep the driver’s footwell clear of all obsta-
cles. If there are any floormats or carpets in
the footwell, make sure that the pedals still
have sufficient clearance.
During sudden driving or braking maneuvers
the objects could get caught between the
pedals. You could then no longer brake or
accelerate. This could lead to accidents and
injury.
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190 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Shifting from P to N
Moving the gear selector lever up or down
shifts the automatic transmission out of
park positionP:
With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.
Move gear selector lever up or down to
resistance point to select neutral
positionN.Shifting from N to R or from N to D
With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.
Move gear selector lever up past the re-
sistance point to select reverse gearR.
or
Move gear selector lever down past the
resistance point to select drive
positionD.
Release the parking brake (page 59).
Release the brake pedal.
Carefully depress the accelerator pedal
to drive off when it is safe to do so.
iThe current transmission positionP, R, N,
orD appears in the multifunction display
(
page 192).
Warning!G
It is dangerous to shift the automatic trans-
mission out of park positionP or neutral
positionN if the engine speed is higher than
idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on the
brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate
quickly forward or reverse. You could lose
control of the vehicle and hit someone or
something. Only shift into gear when the
engine is idling normally and when your right
foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
iThe gear selector lever returns to its original
position.iThe gear selector lever returns to its original
position.
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