2009 MERCEDES-BENZ GL SUV engine

Indicator and warning lamps
Function Page
:
ABS warning lamp (Anti-
lock Braking System)
235
;
LIM indicator lamp 126
=
ESP
®
(Electronic Stability
Program) warning lamp 235
?
Distance warning lamp*
1 53
A
Brake warning lamp 236
B
Tyre pressure monitor
warning lamp*
237
C
Turn signal indicator lamp 81
D
Turn signal indicator lamp 81
E
Seat belt warning lamp
238 Function Page
F
Diesel engine: preglow indi-
cator lamp
89
G
SRS (Supplemental
Restraint System) warning
lamp 236
H
Dipped-beam headlamps
indicator lamp 80
I
Engine diagnostics warning
lamp 237
J
Main-beam headlamps indi-
cator lamp 81
K
Reserve fuel warning lamp 239
1
On vehicles without Distronic*, the symbol lights up briefly but has no function. Instrument cluster
27At a glance
* optional
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Never tamper with electronic components
and their software.
SRS (Supplemental Restraint System)
The SRS reduces the risk of occupants com-
ing into contact with the vehicle's interior in
the event of an accident. It can also reduce
the forces to which occupants are subjected
during an accident.
The SRS consists of:
R The + warning lamp
R belt tensioners
R belt force limiters
R airbags
The + + warning lamp The SRS functions are checked regularly
when you turn on the ignition and when the
engine is running. Therefore, malfunctions
can be detected in good time.
The
+ warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out no later than a few seconds
after the engine is started. G
Risk of injury
If SRS is malfunctioning, individual systems
may be activated unintentionally or not be
deployed in the event of an accident with
heavy braking.
A malfunction has occurred if the +warn-
ing lamp:
R does not light up when you switch on the
ignition
R does not go out after the engine has been
running for a few seconds
R lights up again once the engine is running
In this case, have SRS checked immediately
at a qualified specialist workshop. Triggering of belt tensioners, belt force
limiters and airbags In the event of a collision, the airbag control
unit evaluates important physical data such
as duration, direction and force of the vehicle
deceleration or acceleration. Based on the
evaluation of this data and in the event of lon-
gitudinal deceleration in a collision, the airbag
control unit pre-emptively triggers the belt
tensioners, depending on the rate of deceler-
ation, in the first stage.
i
The front belt tensioners can only be trig-
gered if the belt tongue is correctly
engaged in the seat belt buckle.
The front airbags are only deployed if there is
an even higher rate of vehicle deceleration in
a longitudinal direction.
Your vehicle has adaptive, dual stage front
airbags. When the first activation threshold is
reached, the front airbag is filled with enough
propellant gas to reduce the risk of injuries.
The front airbag is only fully inflated if a sec-
ond threshold is reached within a few milli-
seconds, due to the control unit having detec-
ted further deceleration.
Criteria for triggering belt tensioners and
airbags
In the first stage of a collision, the airbag con-
trol unit evaluates the duration and direction
of vehicle acceleration or deceleration in
order to determine whether it is necessary to
trigger the belt tensioner and/or airbag.
The belt tensioner and airbag triggering
thresholds are variable and are adapted to the
rate of deceleration of the vehicle. This proc-
ess is pre-emptive in nature as the airbag
must be deployed during – and not at the end
of – the collision.
i Airbags are not deployed in all types of
accidents. They are controlled by complex
sensor technology and evaluation logic.
This process is pre-emptive in nature as
airbag deployment must take place during
the impact and must be adapted to provide Occupant safety
35Safety
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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 25 km/ho r 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/h to 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 81).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 skid.
ESP ®
cannot reduce the risk of an accident if
you drive too fast. ESP ®
cannot override the
laws of physics.
! Only operate the vehicle briefly (for a max-
imum of ten seconds) on a brake dyna-
mometer. Turn the key in the ignition lock
to position 0or 1. You could otherwise
damage the drive train or the brake system.
! A function or performance test should
only be carried out on a twin-axle dyna-
mometer. If you wish to operate the vehicle
on such a dynamometer, please consult a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre in advance.
You could otherwise damage the drive train
or the brake system.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation If your trailer begins to lurch, you can only
stabilise the vehicle/trailer combination by
depressing the brake firmly.
In this situation, ESP
®
assists you and can
detect when the trailer begins to lurch.
ESP ®
slows the vehicle down by braking and
limiting the engine output until the vehicle/
trailer combination has stabilised.
Trailer stabilisation is active above speeds of
about 65 km/h. G
Risk of accident
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilisation will not be able to prevent Driving safety systems
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the trailer from swerving and will thus be
unable to reduce the risk of an accident. Trail-
ers with a high centre of gravity can tip over
before ESP ®
can detect this.
Trailer stabilisation does not work if ESP ®
is
deactivated or disabled because of a mal-
function.
Activating/deactivating ESP ®ESP
®
is activated automatically when the
engine is running.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel G
Risk of accident
Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehicle
if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts
to spin.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R the engine's torque is no longer limited and
the drive wheels can spin. Spinning of the
wheels results in a cutting action, which
provides better grip.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
i If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more
wheels start to spin, the dwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster flashes. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehi-
cle. X
To deactivate: press button:.
The d warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up. G
Risk of accident
If the d warning lamp in the instrument
cluster is continuously lit when the engine is
running, ESP ®
is deactivated or not available
due to a malfunction. There is an increased
risk of your vehicle skidding in certain situa-
tions.
You should always adapt your driving style to
suit prevailing road and weather conditions.
X To activate: press button :.
The d warning lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
Off-road ESP ® An ESP
®
system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically if the LOW
RANGE off-road gear (Y page 114) is selec-
ted. It intervenes with a delay if there is over-
steering or understeering, thus improving
traction. EBV (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
EBV monitors and controls the brake pres-
sure on the rear wheels to improve driving
stability when braking. 52
Driving safety systemsSafety
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G
Risk of accident
If EBV is malfunctioning, the brake system is
still available with full brake boosting effect.
However, the rear wheels can still lock, e.g.
under full braking. This could cause you to
lose control of your vehicle and cause an acci-
dent. You should therefore adapt your driving
style to the different handling characteristics. 4ETS (Electronic Traction System)
4ETS makes it possible to pull away or accel-
erate on a slippery surface. It brakes the
wheels individually if they start to spin.
The d warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up briefly when the engine is
started. This indicates that the warning lamp
is operational.
X Activate the LOW RANGE off-road gear
(Y page 114) if appropriate to driving con-
ditions.
The d warning lamp in the instrument
cluster flashes at any speed if at least one tyre
has exceeded its tyre grip limit. G
Risk of accident
If the d warning lamp in the instrument
cluster flashes, proceed as follows:
R only depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
R accelerate less when driving.
R adapt your driving style to suit the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
Otherwise, the vehicle could skid.
If you drive too fast, 4ETS cannot reduce the
risk of an accident. 4ETS cannot override the
laws of physics.
! Only operate the vehicle briefly (for a max-
imum of ten seconds) on a brake dyna-
mometer. Turn the key in the ignition lock
to position 0or 1. You could otherwise
damage the drive train or the brake system. !
A function or performance test should
only be carried out on a twin-axle dyna-
mometer. If you wish to operate the vehicle
on such a dynamometer, please consult a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre in advance.
You could otherwise damage the drive train
or the brake system.
i If the brakes are subjected to heavy loads,
4ETS switches off automatically for a brief
period so that the brakes do not heat up
further. If, for this reason, 4ETS does not
engage, the dwarning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up. The message
ABS, ESP unavailable see Owner's
Manual also appears in the multi-function
display.
! The engine must be off when the parking
brake is being checked on the brake dyna-
mometer. Application of the brakes via
4ETS may otherwise destroy the braking
system.
Off-road terrain-4ETS (Electronic Trac-
tion System) A 4ETS system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically if the LOW
RANGE* off-road gear is selected
(Y page 114). Distance warning function* (vehicles
with Distronic*)
This function will issue a warning at speeds of
around 30 km/h or more if:
R for a period of several seconds, the dis-
tance to the vehicle in front is too short for
the speed at which you are travelling. The
· distance warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster will light up.
R you are approaching the vehicle in front too
rapidly. An intermittent warning tone will
then sound and the ·distance warning
lamp will light up in the instrument cluster. Driving safety systems
53Safety
* optional
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In order to maintain the appropriate distance
to the vehicle in front and thus prevent a
crash, you must apply the brakes yourself. G
Risk of accident
Pay particular attention to the traffic condi-
tions if the distance warning lamp ·in the
instrument cluster lights up or an intermittent
warning tone sounds.
If necessary, brake or manoeuvre to avoid an
obstacle.
X To activate/deactivate: activate or deac-
tivate the distance warning function in the
on-board computer (Y page 109).
After activation, the Äsymbol is dis-
played in the lower multi-function display.
For more information on the distance warning
function, see the Distronic section*
(Y page 119). Anti-theft systems
Immobiliser
The immobiliser prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct key.
Activating the immobiliser X
With the key: remove the key from the
ignition lock.
X With KEYLESS GO*: press the start/stop
button on the dashboard.
The engine switches off.
Deactivating the immobiliser X
With the key: turn the key to position 2in
the ignition lock.
X With KEYLESS GO*: press the start/stop
button on the dashboard twice without
depressing the brake.
i The immobiliser is always deactivated
when you start the engine. ATA* (anti-theft alarm system)
A visual and audible alarm is triggered when
the alarm system is primed and you open:
R a door
R a door using the emergency key element
R the tailgate
R the bonnet
The alarm is not switched off even if you close
an open door again. X
To prime: lock the vehicle using the key.
On vehicles with KEYLESS GO*, the locking
button on the door handle can also be used.
Indicator lamp :flashes. The alarm sys-
tem is primed after approximately 10 sec-
onds.
X To deactivate: unlock the vehicle using the
key. On vehicles with KEYLESS GO*, you
can also unlock the vehicle by grasping the
door handle.
Deactivating the alarm X
With the key: insert the key into the igni-
tion lock.
The alarm is deactivated.
or
X Press the %or& button on the key.
The alarm is deactivated. 54
Anti-theft systemsSafety
* optional
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Opening and closing
Key
The key centrally locks/unlocks:
R the doors
R the tailgate
R the fuel filler flap G
Risk of accident
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
R open a door from the inside at any time,
even if it has been locked
R start the vehicle using a key which has been
left in the vehicle
R release the parking brake
They could thereby endanger themselves and
others. Never leave children unsupervised in
the vehicle. Always take the key with you
when leaving the vehicle, even if you are only
leaving it for a short time. :
& To lock the vehicle
; F To open/close the tailgate*
= Emergency key element
? % To unlock the vehicle
A Battery check lamp
When unlocking, the turn signals flash once.
When locking, they flash three times.
When it is dark, the surround lighting also
comes on if it is activated in the on-board
computer. The vehicle relocks automatically if you do not
open a door or the tailgate within 40 seconds
of unlocking the vehicle.
KEYLESS GO* You can start, lock or unlock the vehicle using
the KEYLESS GO key. To do this, you only
need carry the key with you. When you touch
the surface of the sensors on the vehicle's
door handles, KEYLESS GO establishes a
radio connection between the vehicle and the
key.
The distance to the door handle from which
you wish to lock or unlock the vehicle must
not be greater than 1 m.
When starting the engine and whilst driving,
KEYLESS GO also checks whether a valid key
is in the vehicle by periodically establishing
radio contact. X
To unlock the vehicle: touch the inner
surface of the door handle.
X To lock the vehicle: press locking but-
ton :.
If you pull on the handle of the tailgate, only
the luggage compartment of the vehicle is
unlocked.
i If the vehicle has been parked for a long
time, you must pull the door handle to acti-
vate KEYLESS GO. 58
Opening and closingControls
* optional
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X
To unlock: press button :.
X To lock: press button ;.
Automatic locking The vehicle will lock automatically once you
have pulled away.
You can switch the automatic locking func-
tion on and off using the on-board computer
(Y page 107).
i The vehicle is locked automatically when
the ignition is switched on and the wheels
begin to turn. There is a risk of being locked
out when the vehicle is being pushed or
tested on a dynamometer. Tailgate
Points to remember
G
Risk of poisoning
Exhaust fumes could enter the vehicle interior
if the engine is running and the tailgate is
open. This could poison you. Therefore, you
should make sure that the tailgate is always
closed when the engine is running.
! The tailgate swings up and to the rear
when opened. Therefore, make sure that
there is sufficient clearance above and
behind the tailgate.
Do not leave the key in the luggage compart-
ment. Otherwise, you could lock yourself out.
On vehicles with a spare wheel bracket*, you
can only open the tailgate after first opening
the spare wheel bracket* completely.
i You will find details of the tailgate opening
dimensions in the Technical data section
(Y page 295). The tailgate can be:
R
opened and closed manually
(Y page 61)
R opened and closed* automatically from
outside (Y page 62)
R opened and closed* automatically from
inside (Y page 62) Spare wheel bracket*
G
Risk of accident
While the spare wheel bracket is folded to the
side, the tail lamps may be blocked from view.
Other road users may then fail to see you and
crash into your vehicle. Additionally, secure
your vehicle using a warning lamp or a warn-
ing triangle.
Do not drive with the spare wheel bracket fol-
ded out.
Make sure that the spare wheel bracket is
closed correctly.
Otherwise, the freely moving spare wheel
bracket could injure people or cause an acci-
dent.
! Do not wash vehicles equipped with a
spare wheel bracket in an automatic car
wash.
Opening the spare wheel bracket 60
TailgateControls
* optional
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