2009 MERCEDES-BENZ GL SUV Owners Manual

of its narrow width. The distance to the vehi-
cle in front will be too short.
Obstructions and stationary vehicles Distronic does not brake for obstructions or
stationary vehicles. If, for example, the detec-
ted vehicle turns a corner and there is an
obstacle or stationary vehicle ahead of it, Dis-
tronic will not brake for these.
Crossing vehicles Distronic may detect vehicles that are cross-
ing your lane by mistake. Activating Distronic
at, for example, a traffic light with crossing
traffic, could cause your vehicle to pull away
at the wrong time. Speedtronic
Speedtronic brakes automatically so that you
do not exceed the set speed. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden or towing a trailer, you must
select shift range 1,2or 3in good time. By
doing so, you will make use of the braking effect of the engine, which relieves the load
on the brake system and prevents the brakes
from overheating and wearing too quickly. If
you need additional braking, depress the
brake pedal repeatedly rather than continu-
ously. G
Risk of accident
Never depress the brake pedal continuously
while the vehicle is in motion, e.g. never cause
the brakes to rub by applying constant slight
pedal pressure. This causes the brake system
to overheat, increases the braking distance
and can lead to the brakes failing completely. G
Risk of accident
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid.
You can set a variable or permanent limit
speed:
R variable for speed limits, e.g. in built-up
areas
R permanent for long-term speed restric-
tions, e.g. for driving on winter tyres
(Y page 128) G
Risk of accident
Speedtronic is only an aid designed to assist
driving. You are responsible for the vehicle's
speed and for braking in good time.
i The speed indicated in the speedometer
may differ slightly from the limit speed
stored.
Variable Speedtronic With the cruise control lever, you can operate
cruise control, Distronic* and variable Speed-
tronic.
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selec-
ted:
R
LIM indicator lamp off: 126
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Cruise control or Distronic* is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp lit:
Variable Speedtronic is selected.
You can use the cruise control lever to limit
the speed to any speed above 30 km/h while
the engine is running. :
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To store the current speed or to call up
the last stored speed
? To store the current speed or a lower
speed
A To switch between cruise control or Dis-
tronic* and variable Speedtronic
B To deactivate variable Speedtronic
Selecting variable Speedtronic X
Check whether LIM indicator lamp ;is on.
If it is on, variable Speedtronic is already
selected.
If it is not, press the cruise control lever in
the direction of arrow A.
LIM indicator lamp ;in the cruise control
lever lights up. Variable Speedtronic is
selected. G
Risk of accident
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the limit speed stored.
Only use Speedtronic when you do not have
to accelerate suddenly to a speed higher than the stored limit speed allows. You could, oth-
erwise, cause an accident.
You can only exceed the limit speed stored if
you deactivate variable Speedtronic:
R using the cruise control lever
R by depressing the accelerator pedal
beyond the pressure point (kickdown)
It is not possible to deactivate variable Speed-
tronic by braking. G
Risk of injury
Variable Speedtronic brakes automatically in
order to avoid exceeding the set speed. As it
does so, the brake pedal is depressed. Do not
place your foot under the brake pedal as it
could become trapped.
Storing the current speed You can use the cruise control lever to limit
the speed to any speed above 30 km/h while
the engine is running.
X
Briefly press the cruise control lever
up : or down ?to the pressure point.
The current speed is stored and shown in
the multi-function display.
The LIM indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
Storing the current speed or calling up
the last stored speed G
Risk of accident
Only select a stored speed if you know what
that speed is and whether it is suitable for the
current driving and traffic situation. Other-
wise, sudden braking could endanger you or
others.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you =. Driving systems
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Making adjustments in 1 km/h incre-
ments X
Briefly press the cruise control lever to the
pressure point, up :for a higher speed or
down ?for a lower speed.
or
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed to the
pressure point until the desired speed is
set. Press the cruise control lever, up :
for a higher speed or down ?for a lower
speed.
Adjustment in 10 km/h increments X
Briefly press the cruise control lever
beyond the pressure point, up :for a
higher speed or down ?for a lower speed.
or
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed
beyond the pressure point until the desired
speed is set. Press the cruise control lever,
up : for a higher speed or down ?for a
lower speed.
Deactivating variable Speedtronic There are several ways to deactivate variable
Speedtronic:
X
Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards B.
The LIM indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
or
X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow A.
LIM indicator lamp ;in the cruise control
lever goes out. Variable Speedtronic is
deactivated.
Cruise control or Distronic* is selected.
Variable Speedtronic is deactivated automat-
ically when you depress the accelerator pedal
beyond the pressure point (kickdown), but
only if your current speed does not differ by
more than 20 km/h from the stored speed.
You will hear a warning tone if this is the case. G
Risk of accident
It is not possible to deactivate variable Speed-
tronic by braking.
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine.
Permanent Speedtronic i
Permanent Speedtronic is only available
in certain countries.
You can use the on-board computer to limit
the speed permanently to a value between
160 km/h (e.g. for driving with winter tyres)
and the maximum speed.
Just before the stored speed is reached, it
appears in the multi-function display.
Permanent Speedtronic remains active, even
if variable Speedtronic is deactivated.
You cannot exceed the stored limit speed,
even if you depress the accelerator pedal
beyond the pressure point (kickdown).
Setting permanent Speedtronic
X Press the VorU button to select the
Settings menu (Ypage 103).
X Press the &button to call up the selec-
tion of submenus.
X Press the WorX button to select the
Vehicle submenu.
X Press the &button to select Speed
limit (winter tyres). X
Press the WorX button to select the
desired setting.
The following settings can be selected:
R Off 128
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Permanent Speedtronic is deactivated.
R A limit speed between 240 km/hand
160 km/h in increments of 10 km/h. ADS (Adaptive Damping System)
ADS adapts the damping characteristics to
the current operating and driving situation.
How this is adjusted depends on:
R your driving style
R the road surface conditions
R the ADS setting
R the vehicle level setting
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the key from the ignition lock. You can choose between the following ADS
settings:
R
AUTO for normal driving situations; indica-
tor lamps ;and =are off.
R SPORT for sporty driving; indicator
lamp ;is on. In comparison to AUTOor
COMF, the vehicle is 15 mm lower.
R COMF for a more comfortable ride; indica-
tor lamp =is on.
X Start the engine.
X Press button :repeatedly until the
desired setting is selected. Level control
The level control adapts the vehicle level
automatically to the current operating and
driving situation. This results in reduced fuel
consumption and improved handling.
When you are driving in ADS COMForAUTO
ADS (Ypage 129), the vehicle is lowered to
the high-speed level as the speed increases.
As the vehicle decelerates, the vehicle is
raised back up to highway level.
In ADS SPORT (Ypage 129), the vehicle skips
highway level and is lowered directly to high-
speed level.
Make changes to the vehicle level while the
vehicle is in motion. This enables the vehicle
to adjust to the new level as quickly as pos-
sible.
The vehicle level may change visibly when you
park the vehicle and the outside temperature
changes. When the temperature drops, the
vehicle level is lower; with an increase in tem-
perature, the vehicle level rises.
When you unlock the vehicle or open a door,
the vehicle begins to balance the load dis-
crepancies while still parked. However, for
significant level changes, e.g. after the vehi-
cle has been stationary for a long period, the
engine must be on. For safety reasons, the
vehicle is only lowered when the doors are
closed. Lowering is interrupted if a door is
opened and continues when the door has
been closed. G
Risk of injury
Make sure that nobody is in the vicinity of the
wheel arch or the underbody when you begin
a level change. You could otherwise trap your-
self or others. G
Risk of accident
Always select as low a vehicle level as possi-
ble. If the vehicle level is high, the vehicle
centre of gravity shifts upwards. This increa-
ses the risk of the vehicle tipping over. Driving systems
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Adapt your driving style to suit the vehicle
level. ESP ®
cannot reduce the risk of an acci-
dent if you drive too fast. ESP ®
cannot over-
ride the laws of physics.
! When driving on extremely rough terrain,
select a high vehicle level in good time.
Make sure there is always sufficient ground
clearance to prevent damage to the vehi-
cle.
You will find information about driving off-
road in the "Operation" section
(Y page 188).
Basic settings The extent to which the vehicle is raised or
lowered depends on the basic setting selec-
ted.
Select:
R Off-road level 3 for freeing the vehicle in
impassable terrain at low speeds only
R Off-road level 2 for driving on normal off-
road terrain
R Off-road level 1 for driving on easily nego-
tiable off-road terrain
R Highway/high-speed level for normal roads
The individual vehicle levels are:
R Off-road level 3: 90 mm above highway
level
R Off-road level 2: 60 mm above highway
level
R Off-road level 1: 30 mm above highway
level
R Highway level: +/- 0 mm
R High-speed level: 15 mm below highway
level Off-road levels G
Risk of accident
Off-road level 3 is not permitted for use on
public roads. Off-road level 3 gives your vehi-
cle a very high centre of gravity. This increa-
ses the risk of the vehicle tipping over.
R Only select off-road level 3 for driving off-
road in particularly rough terrain.
R Adjust your driving style to the altered han-
dling characteristics.
R Do not drive faster than 20 km/h.
R Avoid sudden major steering movements.
R Take account of the altered handling char-
acteristics.
If you are driving too fast in off-road level 3,
the Bring speed below 20 km/h message
appears in the multi-function display. You
additionally hear a warning tone. The vehicle
is lowered.
i You cannot clear these messages.
Only select an off-road level when this is
appropriate for the road conditions. Other-
wise, fuel consumption increases and han-
dling performance may be affected.
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the key from the ignition lock. 130
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X
Start the engine.
X Turn selector wheel :clockwise.
The vehicle is raised.
or
X Turn selector wheel ;anti-clockwise.
The vehicle is lowered.
Indicator lamps =for the desired off-road
level flash:
R Off-road level 1: the lower indicator lamp
flashes
R Off-road level 2: the lower and centre indi-
cator lamps flash
R Off-road level 3: all three indicator lamps
flash
The vehicle is being adjusted to the off-road
level selected. As soon as an off-road level is
reached, the corresponding indicator lamp
stops flashing and lights up constantly.
While the adjustment is taking place, a mes-
sage appears in the multi-function display,
e.g.: The vehicle rises from highway level to off-
road level 1.
If you press the
WorX button on the
multi-function steering wheel, the messages
will disappear.
Once off-road level 2 has been reached, you
will see a message in the multi-function dis-
play, for example: Lower and centre indicator lamps
=are on. If you have not previously selected the off-
road menu (Y
page 102) in the on-board com-
puter, the message disappears after about
five seconds.
The 20km/h max. message draws your atten-
tion to the maximum speed permitted for off-
road level 3.
While the adjustment from off-road level 2 to
off-road level 3 is taking place, you will see a
message such as the following in the multi-
function display: Once off-road level 3 has been reached, you
will see a message in the multi-function dis-
play, for example:
If you drive above 20 km/h in off-road level
3, you will see the following message in the
multi-function display:
Off-road level 3 is cancelled.
If you then increase the speed again, the mes-
sage remains in the multi-function display.
The newly set level is not displayed until the
vehicle has been set to a level suitable for the
current speed. Driving systems
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If you maintain or reduce your speed, you will
see a message such as the following in the
display while the vehicle is being lowered: The vehicle is lowered to off-road level 2.
Once off-road level 2 has been reached, you
will see a message in the multi-function dis-
play, for example: If you select an off-road level when driving at
too high a speed, the Level selection
not permitted message appears in the
multi-function display.
You can select the following:
R Off-road level 1 at speeds up to
100 km/h
R Off-road level 2 at speeds up to 70 km/h
R Off-road level 3 at speeds up to 20 km/h
If you are driving above 90 km/h or drive
between 70 km/h and 90 km/h for longer
than 20 seconds, off-road level 2 will be can-
celled. The vehicle is lowered to off-road
level 1.
You will see a message in the multi-function
display, for example: If you are driving above 115 km/h or drive
between 100 km/h and 115 km/h for longer
than 20 seconds, off-road level 1 will be can-
celled. The vehicle is lowered to highway
level.
You will see a message in the multi-function
display, for example:
Depending on the ADS basic setting
(Y
page 129), the vehicle is lowered to high-
speed level at high speeds. The vehicle auto-
matically selects highway level when you are
driving at speeds below 40 km/h again or if
you drive at between 40 km/h and 70 km/h
for around 20 seconds.
Highway/high-speed level !
Make sure there is enough ground clear-
ance when the vehicle is being lowered. It
could otherwise hit the ground, damaging
the underbody. :
To raise the level
; To lower the level
= Indicator lamps
X Start the engine. 132
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If one or more indicator lamps
=are on:
X Turn the selector wheel anti-clockwise ;
until all indicator lamps =that are lit start
to flash.
The vehicle is lowered to highway level. As
soon as the next lowest level is reached,
the indicator lamp stops flashing and goes
out.
While the adjustment is taking place, a mes-
sage appears in the multi-function display,
e.g.: If you press the
WorX button on the
multi-function steering wheel, the messages
will disappear.
Once highway level has been reached, all indi-
cator lamps =go out. You will see a message
in the multi-function display, for example: If you have not previously selected the off-
road menu (Y
page 102) in the on-board com-
puter, the message disappears after about
five seconds.
The vehicle automatically selects highway
level if you are driving at a speed above
115 km/h or if you drive at between
100 km/h and 115 km/h for around 20 sec-
onds. Depending on the ADS basic setting
(Y page 129), the vehicle is lowered to high-
speed level at high speeds. PARKTRONIC*
G
Risk of accident
PARKTRONIC is only an aid and may not
detect all obstacles. It is not a substitute for
attentive driving.
You are always responsible for safety and
must continue to pay attention to your imme-
diate surroundings when parking and
manoeuvring. You could otherwise endanger
yourself and others. G
Risk of injury
Make sure that no persons or animals are in
the manoeuvring range. Otherwise, they
could be injured.
PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid
using ultrasound. It indicates visually and
audibly the distance between your vehicle
and an object.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when
you:
R switch on the ignition
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission to D,Ror
N
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
18 km/h. It is reactivated at lower speeds.
PARKTRONIC monitors the area around your
vehicle using six sensors in the front bumper
and four sensors in the rear bumper. :
Example: sensors in the front bumper,
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