2011 MERCEDES-BENZ GL tow

Driving systems
Cruise control
Important safety notes
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, 2 or 3 in 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.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic
conditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can
store any road speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h).
GWarning
The cruise control is a convenience system
designed to assist the driver during vehicle
operation. The driver is and must always
remain responsible for the vehicle's speed
and for safe brake operation.
Only use the cruise control if the road, traffic,
and weather conditions make it advisable to
travel at a constant speed.
R The use of the cruise control can be
dangerous on winding roads or in heavy
traffic because conditions do not allow safe
driving at a constant speed.
R The use of the cruise control can be
dangerous on slippery roads. Rapid
changes in tire traction can result in wheel
spin and loss of control.
R Deactivate the cruise control when driving
in fog.
The "Resume" function should only be
operated if the driver is fully aware of the
previously set speed and wishes to resume
this particular preset speed.
GWarning
When cruise control brakes, the brake pedal
is pulled back (i.e. operated automatically).
The area around the pedal must not be
blocked by obstacles:
R Do not place any objects in the footwell.
R Ensure that floormats and carpets are fixed
securely. In particular, do not place several
floormats on top of one another.
R Do not place your foot under the brake
pedal, as it could become trapped.
Non-compliance could lead you to cause an
accident in which you and/or others could be
seriously injured.
i Cruise control should not be activated
during off-road driving.
Cruise control lever
:To store the current speed or a higher
speed;To store the current speed or a lower
speed=To deactivate cruise control?To store the current speed or to call up
the last stored speed
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the status indicator of the
multifunction display:
R USA only: e.g. CRUISE 55 Miles
R Canada only: e.g. ¯90 Km/h
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Storing and maintaining the current
speed
You can store the current speed if you are
driving faster than 20 mph (30 km/h).
XAccelerate the vehicle to the desired
speed.XBriefly press the cruise control lever
up : or down ; to the pressure point.XRemove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Cruise control is activated. The vehicle
automatically maintains the stored speed.
i Cruise control may be unable to maintain
the stored speed on uphill gradients. The
stored speed is resumed when the gradient
evens out. Cruise control maintains the
stored speed on downhill gradients by
automatically applying the brakes.
Storing the current speed or calling up
the last speed stored
GWarning
The set speed stored in memory should only
be set again if prevailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Possible
acceleration or deceleration differences
arising from returning to the preset speed
could cause an accident and/or serious injury
to you and others.
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.XRemove 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 speedGWarning
Keep in mind that it may take a brief moment
until the vehicle has made the necessary
adjustments.
Increase or decrease the set vehicle speed to
a value that the prevailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Otherwise, sudden
and unexpected acceleration or deceleration
of the vehicle could cause an accident and/
or serious injury to you and others.
XPress the cruise control lever to the
pressure point, up : for a higher speed or
down ; for a lower speed.XKeep the cruise control lever pressed until
the desired speed is reached.XRelease the cruise control lever.
The new speed is stored.
i Cruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. For
example, if you accelerate briefly to
overtake, cruise control adjusts the
vehicle's speed to the last speed stored
after you have finished overtaking.
Setting in 1 mph (Canada: 1 km/h)
increments
XBriefly 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.
Setting in 5 mph (Canada: 10 km/h)
increments
XBriefly 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.180Driving systemsDriving and parking
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Deactivating cruise control
There are several ways to deactivate cruise
control:
XBriefly press the cruise control lever
forwards =.
or
XBrake.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
R you depress the parking brake.
R you are driving below 20 mph (30 km/h).
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
.
R you shift the transmission to position N
while driving.
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear
a warning tone. You will see the Cruise
control Off message in the multifunction
display for approximately five seconds.
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine.
DISTRONIC
Important safety notes
DISTRONIC regulates the speed and
automatically helps you maintain the
distance to the vehicle detected in front. 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, 2 or 3
in 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 a slower-moving vehicle is detected in front,
DISTRONIC causes your vehicle to brake and
maintain the preset distance to the vehicle in
front.
GWarning!
The Distronic requires familiarity with its
operational characteristics. We strongly
recommend that you review the following
information carefully before operating the
system.
GWarning
When DISTRONIC brakes, the brake pedal is
pulled back (i.e. operated automatically). The
area around the pedal must not be blocked by
obstacles:
R do not place any objects in the footwell.
R ensure that floormats and carpets are fixed
securely. In particular, do not place several
floormats on top of one another.
R do not place your foot under the brake
pedal, as it could become trapped.
Non-compliance could lead you to cause an
accident in which you and/or others could be
seriously injured.
GWarning!
The Distronic is a convenience system. Its
speed adjustment reduction capability is
intended to make cruise control more
effective and usable when traffic speeds vary.
It is not however, intended to, nor does it,
replace the need for extreme care.
The responsibility for the vehicle’s speed,
distance to the preceding vehicle and, most
importantly, brake operation to ensure a safe
stopping distance, always remains with the
driver.
The Distronic cannot take street and traffic
conditions into account. Complex driving
situations are not always fully recognized by
the Distronic. This could result in wrong or
missing distance warnings.
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
operates in the same way as cruise control in
the speed range between 20 mph
( 30 km/h) and 120 mph (200 km/h). If there
is a vehicle in front, DISTRONIC operates in
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iUSA only:
This device has been approved by the FCC
as a "Vehicular Radar System". The radar
sensor is intended for use in an automotive
radar system only. Removing, tampering
with, or altering the device will void any
warranties, and is forbidden by the FCC. Do
not tamper with, alter or use in any non-
approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device may invalidate the vehicle's general
operating permit.
Cruise control lever:To store the current speed or a higher
speed;To store the current speed or a lower
speed=To deactivate DISTRONIC?To store the current speed or to call up
the last stored speed
Activating DISTRONIC, storing and
maintaining the current speed
GWarning!
The vehicle can be braked when DISTRONIC
is activated. For this reason, deactivate
DISTRONIC 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 if the engine has been started and you have
been driving for up to two minutes
R while driving, except if you brake
R if the parking brake is not applied
R if ESP ®
is activated
R if the transmission is in position D
Activating while driving
When driving at speeds below 20 mph
(30 km/h) , you can only activate DISTRONIC
PLUS if the vehicle in front has been detected
and is shown in the multifunction display. If
the vehicle in front is not shown in the
multifunction display and is no longer being
detected, because it has changed lanes, for
example, DISTRONIC is deactivated and you
hear a warning tone.XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ? or press it up : or down ; to the
pressure point.
DISTRONIC is activated.XKeep the cruise control lever pressed
up : or down ; until the desired speed
is set.XRemove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to that of the
vehicle in front, but only up to the desired
stored speed.
i You can use the cruise control lever to set
the stored speed and the thumbwheel on
the cruise control lever to set the specified
minimum distance ( Y page 185).
i If you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DISTRONIC Override message
appears in the multifunction display. The
set distance to a slower-moving vehicle in
front will then not be maintained. You will
be driving at the speed you determine by
the position of the accelerator pedal.
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Storing the current speed or calling up
the last speed storedGWarning
The set speed stored in memory should only
be set again if prevailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Possible
acceleration or deceleration differences
arising from returning to the preset speed
could cause an accident and/or serious injury
to you and others.
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.XRemove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
DISTRONIC is activated and accepts the
current speed if it is activated for the first
time, or adjusts the vehicle's speed to the
last speed stored.
Setting the specified minimum distance
You can set the specified minimum distance
for DISTRONIC by varying the time span
between one and two seconds. This time span
determines the distance that DISTRONIC
should maintain from the vehicle in front,
depending on the road speed. You can see
this distance in the multifunction display
( Y page 186).
GWarning!
It is up to the driver to exercise discretion to
select the appropriate setting given road
conditions, traffic, driver's preferred driving
style and applicable laws and driving
recommendations for safe following distance.
XTo increase: turn thumbwheel ; towards
= .
DISTRONIC then maintains a greater
distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front.XTo decrease: turn thumbwheel ;
towards :.
DISTRONIC then maintains a shorter
distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front.
i Make sure that you maintain the
minimum distance to the vehicle in front as
required by law. Adjust the distance to the
vehicle in front if necessary.
DISTRONIC displays in the
speedometer
When DISTRONIC is activated, one or
two segments in the set speed range light up.
i For design reasons, the speed displayed
in the speedometer may differ slightly from
the speed set for DISTRONIC.
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If you press the V, U , & or *
button on the multifunction steering wheel,
the message will disappear.
Once highway level has been reached, all
indicator lamps = go out. You will see a
message in the multifunction display, for
example:
If you have not previously selected the off-
road menu ( Y page 220) in the on-board
computer, the message disappears after
about five seconds.
The vehicle automatically selects highway
level if you are driving faster than 55 mph
(88 km/h). Depending on the ADS setting,
the vehicle is lowered to high-speed level at
speeds higher than this.
i If you are towing a trailer, the vehicle is
not lowered to high-speed level.
Vehicles with the extended Off-Road
Pro engineering package
Basic settings
The extent to which the vehicle is raised or
lowered depends on the basic setting
selected.
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
negotiable off-road terrain
R Highway/high-speed level for normal roads
The individual vehicle levels differ from
highway level as follows:
R +3.5 in (+ 90 mm) in off-road level 3
R +2.3 in (+ 60 mm) in off-road level 2
R +1.2 in (+ 30 mm) in off-road level 1
R +/–0 in (+/–0 mm) in highway level
R –0.6 in (–15 mm) in high-speed level
Off-road levelsGWarning!
Vehicle off-road level 3 is not intended for use
on paved roads. This vehicle level is intended
for clearing impracticable situations at low
speed exclusively. The vehicle has a very high
center of gravity in off-road level 3. This
increases the overturning hazard.
R Select off-road level 3 exclusively for
clearing impracticable situations at low
speed.
R Adapt your driving style to the modified
conditions.
R Do not exceed a speed of 12 mph
(20 km/h).
R Avoid extreme, quick steering movements.
R Keep in mind the vehicle’s driving
characteristics are modified.
You should therefore drive in off-road level 3
with particular caution as it could otherwise
lead to an accident and/or serious injury to
you or others.
If you are driving too fast in off-road level 3,
the Reduce speed to under 12 mph
( 20 Km/h ) message appears in the
multifunction display. You also hear a
warning. The vehicle is lowered.
i You cannot clear these messages.
Only select an off-road level when this is
appropriate for road conditions. Otherwise,
fuel consumption increases and handling may
be affected.
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the key from the ignition lock.
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:To raise the level;To lower the level=Indicator lampsXStart the engine.
If one or more indicator lamps = are on:
XTurn the selector wheel
counterclockwise ; 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
message appears in the multifunction
display, e.g.:
If you press the V, U , & or *
button on the multifunction steering wheel,
the message will disappear.
Once highway level has been reached, all
indicator lamps = go out. You will see a
message in the multifunction display, for
example:
If you have not previously selected the off-
road menu ( Y page 220) in the on-board
computer, the message disappears after
about five seconds.
The vehicle automatically selects highway
level if you are driving faster than 60 mph
(115 km/h). Depending on the ADS setting
( Y page 194), the vehicle is lowered to high-
speed level at higher speeds.
i If you are towing a trailer, the vehicle is
not lowered to high-speed level.
ADS (Adaptive Damping System)
General notes
ADS is continuously electronically controlled.
It adapts the damping characteristics to the
current operating and driving situation.
Damping is controlled separately for each
wheel. This increases driving safety and tire
comfort.
This 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.
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Transmission
positionWarning displayDFront area activatedR or NRear and front areas
activatedPNo areas activated
One or more segments light up as the vehicle
approaches an obstacle, depending on the
vehicle's distance from the obstacle.
From the:
R sixth segment onwards, you will hear an
intermittent warning tone for
approximately two seconds.
R seventh segment onwards, you will hear a
warning tone for approximately two
seconds. This indicates that you have now
reached the minimum distance.
Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC
Vehicles without Advanced Off-Road-Package
:To deactivate/activate PARKTRONIC;Indicator lamp
Vehicles with Advanced Off-Road-Package
:To deactivate/activate PARKTRONIC;Indicator lamp
If indicator lamp ; lights up, PARKTRONIC is
deactivated.
Towing a trailer
PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area
when you establish an electrical connection
between your vehicle and a trailer.
! Fold in the ball coupling if the trailer tow
hitch is not required. PARKTRONIC
measures the minimum detection range to
an obstacle from the bumper, not the ball
coupling.
! Vehicles with an exterior spare wheel:
Remove the detachable ball coupling if the
trailer tow hitch is not required.
PARKTRONIC measures the minimum
detection range to an obstacle from the
bumper, not the ball coupling.
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