2008 MERCEDES-BENZ GLK SUV tow

Overhead control panelFunctionPage
:u
Switches the rear
interior lighting on/off
79
;| Switches the auto-
matic interior lighting con-
trol on/off
79
=p Switches the right-
hand reading lamp on/off
79
?ë Deactivates tow-
away protection*
55
ARear-view mirror67
FunctionPage
B3 Opens/closes the
panorama sliding sunroof
with roller sunblinds*
127
Cê Deactivates the inte-
rior motion sensor*
55
Dp Switches the left-
hand reading lamp on/off
79
Ec Switches the front
interior lighting on/off
79
Overhead control panel 31
At a glance
* optional
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Occupant safety
Notes on occupant safety
Seat belts, together with belt tensioners, belt
force limiters and airbags, are complemen-
tary, coordinated restraint systems. They
reduce the risk of injury in specific, pre-
defined types of accident situations and,
thereby, increase occupant safety. However,
seat belts and airbags generally do not pro-
tect against objects penetrating the vehicle
from the outside.
To ensure that the restraint systems can
deliver their full potential protection, you
should ensure that:
R the seat and head restraint are adjusted
properly (Y page 62).
R the seat belt has been fastened properly
(Y page 70).
R the airbags can inflate properly if they are
deployed (Y page 37).
R the steering wheel is adjusted properly
(Y page 66).
R the restraint systems have not been modi-
fied.
i An airbag increases the protection of
vehicle occupants wearing a seat belt.
However, airbags are only an additional
restraint system which complements, but
does not replace, the seat belt. All vehicle
occupants must wear their seat belt cor-
rectly at all times, even if the vehicle is
equipped with airbags. This is because – on
the one hand – airbags are not deployed in
all types of accident, as in some situations
airbag deployment would not increase the
protection afforded to vehicle occupants,
provided they are wearing their seat belt
correctly. On the other hand, airbag deploy-
ment only provides increased protection if
the seat belt is worn correctly because: R
the seat belt helps to keep the vehicle
occupant in the best position in relation
to the airbag.
R for example, in a head-on collision, the
seat belt can more adequately prevent
the occupant from being propelled
towards the point of the impact, and is
thus better suited to prevent injury.
Therefore, in accident situations where an
airbag is deployed, it only provides protec-
tion in addition to the seat belt if the seat
belt is being worn correctly. G
Risk of accident and injury
Always have maintenance work carried out at
a qualified specialist workshop which has the
necessary specialist knowledge and tools to
carry out the work required.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this pur-
pose.
In particular, work relevant to safety or on
safety-related systems must be carried out at
a qualified specialist workshop. If this work is
not carried out correctly, the operating safety
of your vehicle may be affected. There is a risk
of an accident and injury. G
Risk of injury
The restraint system may not work as inten-
ded if the following components have been
modified or work on these components has
not been performed correctly:
R restraint system, consisting of the seat
belts and anchorages, belt tensioners, belt
force limiters, airbags
R wiring
R networked electronic systems
Airbags or belt tensioners could then fail, e.g.
in the event of an accident in which the decel-
eration force would normally be high enough
to trigger the systems, or they could be trig-
gered unintentionally. Never carry out any
modifications on the restraint systems. 34 Occupant safetySafety
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calculated, additional protection for the
vehicle occupants. Not all airbags are
deployed in an accident.
The different airbag systems work inde-
pendently of each other. However, the
deployment of each individual system will
depend on the type of accident determined
by the control system in the first stages of
the collision (head-on collision, side impact
and overturn) and the extent of the acci-
dent (in particular, the vehicle's rate of
deceleration or acceleration).
The rate of vehicle deceleration or accelera-
tion and the direction of the force are basi-
cally determined by:
R the distribution of forces during the colli-
sion
R the collision angle
R the deformation characteristics of the vehi-
cle
R the characteristics of the object with which
the vehicle has collided, e.g. the other vehi-
cle
Factors which can only be seen and measured
after a collision has occurred do not play a
decisive role in the deployment of an airbag,
nor do they provide an indication of it.
The vehicle may be deformed significantly,
e. g. on the bonnet or the wing, without an
airbag being deployed. This is the case if only
parts which are relatively easily deformed are
affected and the necessary deceleration does
not occur. Conversely, airbags may be
deployed even though the vehicle suffers only
minor deformations. For example, this is the
case if very rigid vehicle parts such as longi-
tudinal body members are affected and suf-
ficient deceleration occurs as a result.
Belt tensioners, belt force limiters The front seat belts and the outer seat belts
in the rear are equipped with belt tensioners.
!
Do not engage the seat belt tongue on the
front-passenger's seat if the seat is not occupied. The belt tensioners could other-
wise be triggered in an accident.
If the seat belt is also equipped with a belt
force limiter, the force exerted by the seat
belt on the seat occupant is reduced.
Belt tensioners tighten the seat belts in an
accident, pulling them close against the body.
i Belt tensioners do not correct incorrect
seat positions or incorrectly fastened seat
belts.
Belt tensioners do not pull occupants back
towards the backrest.
The front belt force limiters are synchronised
with the front airbags, which distribute a pro-
portion of the deceleration forces exerted on
the occupant over a greater area.
The belt tensioners cannot be triggered when
the ignition is switched on unless:
R the restraint systems are operational, see
6 warning lamp
R the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
each lap-shoulder belt in the front of the
vehicle
Depending on the type and severity of an
accident, the belt tensioners may be trig-
gered:
R in the event of a head-on or rear-end colli-
sion if the vehicle decelerates or acceler-
ates rapidly in a longitudinal direction dur-
ing the initial stages of impact
R in the event of a side impact if the vehicle
is subjected to high lateral acceleration/
deceleration
If the airbags are deployed, you will hear a
bang and a small amount of powder may also
be released. Only in rare cases will the bang
affect your hearing. The powder that escapes
does not generally constitute a health hazard.
The 6 warning lamp lights up. G
Risk of injury
If the seat belt tensioners have been trig-
gered, they provide no additional protection
in the event of another accident. Therefore, 36 Occupant safetySafety
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effect achieved in the process reduces the
stopping distance on off-road terrain. This
limits steering capability. BAS (Brake Assist)
BAS operates in emergency braking situa-
tions. If you depress the brake pedal quickly,
BAS automatically boosts the braking force,
thus shortening the stopping distance.
X Keep the brake pedal firmly depressed until
the emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated. G
Risk of accident
If BAS has malfunctioned, the braking system
remains available with full brake boosting
effect. However, braking force is not auto-
matically increased in emergency braking sit-
uations and the stopping distance may
increase. Adaptive brake lamps
i Adaptive brake lamps are only available in
certain countries.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 50 km/h or if braking is assisted by BAS,
the brake lamps flash rapidly. In this way,
traffic travelling behind you is warned in an
even more noticeable manner.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 70 km/ht o a standstill, the hazard warn-
ing lamps are activated automatically. If the
brakes are applied again, the brake lamps
light up continuously. The hazard warning
lamps switch off automatically if you travel
faster than 10 km/h. You can also switch off
the hazard warning lamps using the hazard
warning switch button (Y page 76). ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission between tyres and
the road surface.
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilise the
vehicle. If necessary, the engine output is also
modified to keep the vehicle on the desired
course within physical limits. ESP ®
assists
the driver when pulling away on wet or slip-
pery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilise the vehi-
cle during braking.
When ESP ®
intervenes, the dwarning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster. G
Risk of accident
If the d warning lamp in the instrument
cluster flashes, proceed as follows:
R do not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum-
stances.
R only depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
R adapt your driving style to suit the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
Otherwise, the vehicle could go into a skid.
ESP ®
cannot reduce the risk of an accident if
you drive too fast. ESP ®
cannot override the
laws of physics.
! If:
R the vehicle is being towed with the front
or rear axle raised,
R the parking brake is being tested using a
dynamometer,
the ignition must be switched off (key in
position 0or 1in the ignition lock). Other-
wise, application of the brakes by ESP ®
could destroy the brake system on the front
or rear axle.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC* may not be towed
with the front or rear axle raised. 52 Driving safety systemsSafety
* optional
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X
To prime: lock the vehicle using the key.
Indicator lamp :flashes. The alarm sys-
tem is primed after approximately 15 sec-
onds.
X To deactivate: unlock the vehicle using the
key.
Deactivating the alarm X
Insert the key into the ignition lock.
The alarm is deactivated.
or
X Press the %or& button on the key.
The alarm is deactivated. Tow-away protection*
An audible and visual alarm is triggered if the
vehicle's angle of inclination is altered while
tow-away protection is primed. For example,
this occurs if the vehicle is jacked up on one
side.
Priming tow-away protection X
Lock the vehicle using the key.
Tow-away protection is primed after
approximately 30 seconds.
Deactivating tow-away protection Tow-away protection is automatically deacti-
vated when you unlock your vehicle using the
key.
Deactivate tow-away protection manually to
prevent a false alarm if your vehicle:
R
is being transported
R is being loaded, e.g. onto a ferry or car
transporter
R is parked on a movable surface, e.g. split-
level garages X
Remove the key from the ignition lock.
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up briefly.
X Lock the vehicle using the key.
Tow-away protection remains deactivated
until:
R
the vehicle is unlocked again
R a door is opened and closed again
R the vehicle is locked again Interior motion sensor*
If the interior motion sensor is primed, a vis-
ual and audible alarm is triggered if move-
ment is detected in the vehicle interior while
the vehicle is locked. This occurs, for exam-
ple, if someone breaks the side windows of
your vehicle or reaches into the vehicle's inte-
rior.
Priming the interior motion sensor X
Make sure that:
R
the side windows are closed
R the panorama sliding sunroof* is closed
R there are no objects, e.g. mascots, hang-
ing on the rear-view mirror or on the grab
handles on the roof trim.
This will prevent false alarms.
X Lock the vehicle using the key.
The interior motion sensor is primed after
approximately 30 seconds. Anti-theft systems
55Safety
* optional
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Opening and closing...........................58
Tailgate ................................................ 59
Key positions ....................................... 61
Seats .................................................... 62
Steering wheel .................................... 66
Mirrors ................................................. 67
Memory functions* .............................69
Seat belts ............................................. 70
Lights ................................................... 74
Windscreen wipers .............................79
Side windows ...................................... 80
Driving and parking ............................83
Transmission ....................................... 85
Instrument cluster ..............................90
On-board computer (4-button
multi-function steering wheel) ..........91
On-board computer (12-button
multi-function steering wheel*) ........93
Off-road driving ................................. 105
Driving systems ................................ 108
Air conditioning ................................. 117
Sliding sunroof .................................. 127
Loading and stowing ........................129
Features ............................................. 137
57
Controls
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Fastening the belt
X
Adjust the seat and move the backrest to
an almost vertical position (Y page 62).
X Pull the belt smoothly through belt sash
guide :.
X Route the belt over the centre of the shoul-
der without twisting it.
X Engage belt tongue ;in buckle =.
X If necessary, adjust the belt to the appro-
priate height (Y page 72).
X If necessary, pull upwards on the shoulder
section of the belt to tighten the belt across
your body.
Wearing the rear centre seat belt If the right-hand rear seat backrest is folded
down and back up again, the rear centre seat
belt may lock. Then, the seat belt cannot be
pulled out.
X To release the rear centre seat belt: pull
out the seat belt at the belt outlet on the
rear seat backrest approximately 20 mm
and release it again.
The seat belt is retracted and released.
Unfastening the belt X
Press release button ?and guide belt
tongue ;back towards belt sash
guide :. Belt warning for driver and front
passenger
The 7 seat belt warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster reminds you that all occupants
should fasten their seat belts. It is either lit
continuously or flashes. Additionally, there
may be a warning tone.
The 7 seat belt warning lamp goes out and
the warning tone ceases as soon as the driver
and front passenger have fastened their seat
belts. For certain countries only: regardless of
whether the driver or the front passenger
already have their seat belt fastened, the
7
seat belt warning lamp lights up for six
seconds after the engine has been started. It
then goes out if both the driver and the front
passenger have fastened their seat belt.
i Further information about the 7seat
belt warning lamp . Belt height adjustment
You can adjust the seat belt height on the
driver's seat and front-passenger seat.
Adjust the belt to a height that allows it to be
routed across the middle of your shoulder. X
To raise: slide the belt sash guide upwards.
The belt sash guide engages in various posi-
tions.
X To lower: press and hold release but-
ton :.
X Slide the belt sash guide downwards.
X Release release button :and make sure
that the belt sash guide has engaged. Rear seat belt status indicator
The rear-compartment seat belt status indi-
cator tells you if any of the rear passengers
do not have their seat belt fastened. The sta-
tus indicator also tells you how many of the
belt tongues are inserted into the seat belt
buckles. 72 Seat beltsCont
rols
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Adjusting the headlamp range (halo-
gen headlamps)
The headlamp range control allows you to
adjust the cone of light from the headlamps
to suit the vehicle load. X
Start the engine.
X Turn headlamp range control :to the
position which corresponds to the load in
your vehicle.
0D river's seat and front-passenger seat
occupied
1D river's seat, front-passenger seat and
rear seats occupied, luggage compart-
ment laden
2D river's and front-passenger seats occu-
pied and maximum permissible rear axle
load utilised, e.g. when towing a trailer
3N ot required Headlamp cleaning system*
The headlamps are cleaned automatically if
the "Wipe with windscreen washer fluid" func-
tion is operated while the lights are on and
the engine is running. The headlamps are
cleaned again every tenth time the wind-
screen is wiped with washer fluid. When you
switch off the ignition, the automatic head-
lamp cleaning system is reset and counting is
resumed from 0. Intelligent Light System* (bi-xenon
headlamps*)
The Intelligent Light System is a system which
adjusts the headlamps automatically to suit
the prevailing driving and weather conditions.
The bi-xenon headlamps offer advanced func-
tions to improve illumination of the road sur-
face, e.g. depending on the vehicle speed or
weather conditions. The system includes the
active light system, cornering light function,
motorway mode and extended range fog-
lamps. The system is only active when it is
dark.
Vehicles with a luxury multi-function steering
wheel*: you can activate or deactivate the
"Intelligent Light System" using the on-board
computer (Y page 102).
Active light system The active light function is a system that
moves the headlamps according to the steer-
ing movements of the front wheels. In this
way, relevant areas remain illuminated while
driving. This allows you to recognise pedes-
trians, cyclists and animals. Lights
77Controls
* optional
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