2009 MERCEDES-BENZ GL SUV brake light

Automatic transmission
DIRECT SELECT lever
P
Park position with parking lock
N Neutral
R Reverse gear
D Drive position
X Move the transmission to position P.
i The engine can also be started when the
transmission is in position N.
Starting the engine using the key i
You can also use the "touch-start" func-
tion. To do this, turn the key to position 3
and release it immediately. The engine then
starts automatically.
X To start a petrol engine: turn the key to
position 3in the ignition lock (Y page 63)
and release it.
The engine starts automatically.
X To start a diesel engine: turn the key to
position 2in the ignition lock (Y page 63).
The % preglow indicator lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X When the %preglow indicator lamp
goes out, turn the key to position 3
(Y page 63) and release it as soon as the
engine is running.
i You can start the engine without preglow
if the engine is warm. Starting the engine using KEYLESS
GO* G
Risk of injury
Your vehicle can be started using a valid KEY-
LESS GO* key. For this reason, children
should never be left unsupervised in the vehi-
cle. Always take the key with you when leaving
the vehicle, even if you are only leaving it for
a short time.
i The Start/Stop button can be used to
start the vehicle without inserting the key
in the ignition lock. X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Petrol engine: press Start/Stop but-
ton :once.
The engine starts.
X Diesel engine: press Start/Stop but-
ton :once.
Preglow is activated and the engine starts. Pulling away
! Warm up the engine quickly. Do not use
the engine's full performance until it has
reached operating temperature.
Only shift into reverse gear when the vehi-
cle is stationary.
Where possible, avoid spinning the drive
wheels when pulling away on slippery
roads. Otherwise, you could damage the
drive train. Driving and parking
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Parking brake
X
To apply: depress parking brake ;firmly.
The J warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up if the engine is running.
X To release: depress the brake pedal and
keep it depressed.
The parking lock is released.
X Pull release handle :.
The J warning lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out. Switching off the engine
G
Risk of accident
If the engine is not running, there is no power
assistance for the steering and brakes. Steer-
ing and braking will then require significantly
greater effort.
As a result, you might lose control of the vehi-
cle, cause an accident and injure yourself and
others.
Therefore, do not switch off the engine while
you are driving.
X Move the transmission to position P.
Using the key
X Turn the key to position 0(Y page 63) in
the ignition lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated. i
If you switch the engine off with the trans-
mission in position Ror D, the automatic
transmission automatically shifts to N.
If you then open the driver's door or the
front-passenger door or remove the key
from the ignition, the automatic transmis-
sion shifts to P.
If you shift the automatic transmission to
N before switching off the engine, the auto-
matic transmission remains in Neven when
a door is opened.
Using KEYLESS GO*
X Press the Start/Stop button (Y page 63).
The engine stops and all the indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster go out
(Y page 25).
i If you use the Start/Stop button to switch
off the engine, the automatic transmission
automatically shifts to N. If you open the
driver's or front-passenger door, the auto-
matic transmission shifts to P.
i The engine can be turned off while the
vehicle is in motion by pressing and holding
the Start/Stop button for three seconds. Transmission
Notes on the transmission
G
Risk of accident
The movement of the pedals must not be
impaired in any way. Do not keep any objects
in the driver's footwell. Make sure that floor-
mats or carpets are correctly secured and
that there is sufficient clearance for the ped-
als.
Do not place several floormats on top of one
another. 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. This could cause you Transmission
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0
or 1in the ignition. Failure to do this can
cause damage to 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. DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
You will find information about driving off-
road in the "Operation" section
(Y page 188).
DSR is an aid to assist you when driving down-
hill. It keeps the speed of travel at the speed
set on the on-board computer (Y page 109).
The steeper the downhill gradient, the greater
the DSR braking effect on the vehicle. When
driving on flat stretches of road or on an uphill
gradient, the DSR braking effect is minimal or
non-existent. G
Risk of accident
DSR is only an aid designed to assist you when
driving downhill. You are responsible for keep-
ing control of the vehicle and for assessing
whether the downhill gradient can be man-
aged.
When activating DSR the vehicle may brake
suddenly due to DSR intervening. This is
dependent on the downhill gradient and the
difference between the current speed and the
speed set. DSR may not always be able to
keep to the set speed, depending on road sur-
face and tyre conditions. You could lose con-
trol of the vehicle and cause an accident.
Select a set speed suitable for the prevailing
conditions and when necessary, apply the
brakes manually.
DSR controls the vehicle’s speed when
DIRECT SELECT lever positions D,Rand Nare
selected. You can drive at a higher or a lower speed than that set on the on-board computer
at any time by braking or accelerating. G
Risk of accident
If you depress the accelerator pedal with DSR
activated, then the set speed can be excee-
ded. Drive downhill with special care and
always keep in mind that DSR brakes the vehi-
cle as soon as you remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. The vehicle may be heavily
braked by DSR depending on the gradient and
the difference between the vehicle's road
speed and the set speed. You could lose con-
trol of the vehicle and cause an accident.
The speed is set to 6 km/h at the factory.
Activating/deactivating DSR Activating
You can only activate DSR when driving at a
speeds below 30 km/h.
X
Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up.
The DSR symbol and a message such as the
following appear in the multi-function display: If the current vehicle speed is too high, the
DSR symbol appears in the multi-function dis-
play with the
max. speed 30 km/h message. Off-road driving
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do not switch the automatic transmission to
another gear.
If you do not wait for the gear change process
to complete, it may not be correctly imple-
mented. The transfer case may then be in
neutral and the connection between the
engine and the drive axles may be disen-
gaged. The vehicle could then move freely,
even if a gear is engaged, and could inadver-
tently start moving, particularly if it is on a
slope.
Observe the messages in the multi-function
display.
From HIGH RANGE to LOW RANGE
! Only carry out the gear change process if:
R the engine is running
R the automatic transmission is in N
R you are not driving above 40 km/h
X Press LOW RANGE button :.
Indicator lamp ;flashes. LOW RANGE
indicator =appears in the multi-function
display.
When the gear change is complete, indica-
tor lamp ;lights up. While indicator lamp
;is flashing, you can
cancel the gear change by pressing LOW
RANGE button :again.
From LOW RANGE to HIGH RANGE
! Only carry out the gear change process if:
R the engine is running
R the automatic transmission is in N
R you are not driving above 70 km/h
X Press LOW RANGE button :.
Indicator lamp ;flashes.
If the gear change process has taken place,
indicator lamp ;and LOW RANGE indica-
tor =in the multi-function display go out.
While indicator lamp ;is flashing, you can
cancel the gear change by pressing LOW
RANGE button :again.
Messages in the multi-function display
If a gear change process has not been suc-
cessful, the following messages may be dis-
played in the multi-function display:
R Max. speed 40 km/h
You have been driving faster than
40 km/h. Indicator lamp ;also flashes.
X Drive more slowly to carry out the gear
change process.
R Engage N briefly
The automatic transmission is in Dand you
are now driving below 40 km/h.
XMove the DIRECT SELECT lever to Nto
carry out the gear change process.
R Shifting process cancelled Reacti‐
vate
The gear change process was not carried
out.
XMaintain all gear change conditions
and carry out the gear change process
again.
R Stop vehicle. Apply parking brake Off-road driving
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An acoustic warning will also sound. The
gear change process has not been comple-
ted. LOW RANGE is in the neutral position.
There is no connection between the engine
and the drive wheels.
! Do not drive any further, otherwise you
could damage the vehicle's drive train.
XStop the vehicle. Take into account the
road and traffic conditions when doing
this.
X Depress the parking brake.
X Carry out the gear change process
again.
If the gear change process has been
carried out, the Stop vehicle. Apply
parking brake message disappears. Differential locks
Differential locks improve the vehicle’s trac-
tion.
Your vehicle is equipped with the following:
R A differential lock for the transfer box: this
controls the balance between the front and
rear axles.
R A differential lock for the rear axle: this
controls the balance between the wheels
and the rear axle.
4ETS (Y page 53) controls the compensation
between the wheels and the front axle.
Engaging the differential locks Automatic mode
Use automatic mode
;for all driving situa-
tions, including driving off-road or when ford-
ing.
In automatic mode, the differential locks are
engaged and disengaged according to driving
requirements. This guarantees sufficient trac-
tion for most driving situations with unrestric-
ted vehicle steerability.
X Start the engine.
The differential locks are in automatic
mode. The indicator lamp in selector
wheel :lights up above symbol for auto-
matic mode ;.
Engaging manually G
Risk of accident
When driving on a firm road surface, only drive
in automatic mode, never with manually
engaged differential locks. If differential locks
have been engaged manually, the vehicle's
steerability is greatly impaired and the risk of
an accident thereby increased.
Do not manually engage or disengage the dif-
ferential locks while cornering. The vehicle
motion could otherwise be jerky. You could
lose control of the vehicle as a result and
cause an accident.
Only engage the differential locks manually if
traction in automatic mode is insufficient.
At speeds of up to 30 km/h, you can engage
the differential locks by hand.
X Start the engine.
X Turn selector wheel :to desired position
= or?.
The indicator lamp in selector wheel :
lights up at the corresponding symbol. 116
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The engaged differential appears in the multi-
function display:
A
The differential lock for the transfer case
is locked.
The differential locks are not controlled auto-
matically. The steerability of the vehicle is
restricted considerably. Drive carefully and
accelerate gently for optimum traction.
You can switch back to automatic mode at
any time. For safety reasons, the differential
locks disengage automatically at speeds
above 50 km/h. If you stop the vehicle and
switch off the ignition for longer than ten sec-
onds, the differential locks switch back to
automatic mode.
Message in the multi-function display
Diff. lock system overheated.
Wait briefly
The differential lock system has overheated
and briefly disengaged.
X Continue driving.
The differential locks cool off and are soon
available once again. Driving systems
Overview of driving systems
The vehicle's driving systems are described
on the following pages:
R cruise control, Distronic *and Speedtronic,
which are used to control the speed of the
vehicle
R Adaptive damping system (ADS), for indi-
vidual adjustment of suspension tuning R
level control, for individual adjustment of
ground clearance
R PARKTRONIC*, which assists you in park-
ing and manoeuvring
R reversing camera*, which assists you when
parking and manoeuvring
The ABS, BAS, adaptive brake lights, ESP ®
,
EBV and 4ETS driving safety systems and the
distance warning function* are described in
the "Driving safety systems" section
(Y page 49). Cruise control
Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding 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. 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.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can
store any road speed above 30 km/h. G
Risk of accident
Cruise control cannot take account of road
and traffic conditions.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions
even when cruise control is activated.
Cruise control is only an aid designed to assist
driving. You are responsible for the vehicle's
speed and for braking in good time. Driving systems
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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 situation. Otherwise, sudden acceler-
ation or braking could endanger you or others.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you =.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
The first time cruise control is activated, it
stores the current speed or regulates the
speed of the vehicle to the previously
stored speed.
Setting a speed X
Press the cruise control lever to the pres-
sure point, up :for a higher speed or
down ?for a lower speed.
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed until
the desired speed is reached.
X Release the cruise control lever.
The new speed is stored.
i Cruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. For exam-
ple, if you accelerate briefly to overtake,
cruise control adjusts the vehicle's speed
to the last speed stored after you have fin-
ished overtaking.
Making fine adjustments in 1 km/h
increments X
Briefly press the cruise control lever to the
pressure point, up :for a higher speed or
down ?for a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or
reduced. 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.
The last speed stored is increased or
reduced.
Deactivating cruise control There are several ways to deactivate cruise
control:
X
Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards B.
or
X Brake.
or
X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow A.
Variable Speedtronic is selected. LIM indi-
cator lamp ;in the cruise control lever
lights up.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
R you depress the parking brake.
R you drive at less than 30 km/h
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R you shift the automatic transmission to N
while driving
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear
a warning tone. You will see the Cruise
control Off message in the multi-function
display for approximately five seconds.
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine. Distronic*
i Distronic is not available in all countries.
Distronic regulates the speed and automati-
cally maintains the distance to the vehicle in
front. It brakes automatically in order to avoid
exceeding the set speed. On long and steep
downhill gradients, especially if the vehicle is Driving systems
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G
Risk of accident
Distronic brakes your vehicle at a maximum
of 4m /s2
, depending on its speed. This cor-
responds to approximately 40% of your vehi-
cle's maximum brake force. You must also
apply the brakes yourself if this braking power
is not sufficient.
If Distronic detects a risk of collision with a
vehicle in front, an intermittent warning tone
sounds. In addition, the ·distance warn-
ing lamp in the instrument cluster lights up.
Brake to avoid a collision.
Cruise control lever You can operate Distronic and variable
Speedtronic with the cruise control lever.
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selec-
ted:
R LIM indicator lamp off:
Distronic is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp lit:
Variable Speedtronic is selected. :
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
; To adjust the specified distance
= LIM indicator lamp
? To store the current speed or call up the
last stored speed
A To store the current speed or a lower
speed B
To switch between Distronic and variable
Speedtronic
C To deactivate Distronic
Selecting Distronic X
Check whether LIM indicator lamp =is off.
If it is off, Distronic is already selected.
If it is not, press the cruise control lever in
the direction of arrow B.
LIM indicator lamp =in the cruise control
lever goes off. Distronic is selected.
Switching on Distronic, storing and
maintaining the current speed G
Risk of accident
The vehicle can be braked when Distronic is
activated. For this reason, deactivate Dis-
tronic if the vehicle is to be set in motion by
other means (e.g. in a car wash or by towing).
You can activate Distronic in the following
circumstances:
R for about two minutes after the engine is
started
R when the engine is running
R if you do not brake during the journey
R when the parking brake is not applied
R if ESP ®
is activated
R if the automatic transmission is in position
D
R if the bonnet is closed
Activating while driving
When driving at speeds below 30 km/h, you
can only activate Distronic if the vehicle in
front has been detected and is shown in the
multi-function display. If the vehicle in front is
not shown in the multi-function display and is
no longer being detected, because it has
changed lanes, for example, Distronic is
deactivated and you hear a warning tone. Driving systems
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