2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL-Class stop start

Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system's
metal parts, for example, could become very
hot, and the child could be burned on these
parts.GWARNING
Never touch the heating element or sides of
the lighter; they are extremely hot. Hold the
knob only.
Make sure any children traveling with you do
not injure themselves or start a fire with the
hot cigarette lighter.
! The 12 V socket in the cigarette lighter
can be used for accessories (up to a
maximum of 180 W) as long as they have
the standard socket type for cigarette
lighters. Note that the socket in the
cigarette lighter can be damaged when
connecting accessories, for example by
frequent insertion and removal or by
sockets that do not fit correctly. A damaged
socket can cause the cigarette lighter to
stop working.
! The cigarette lighter in the center console
in the front compartment is not intended
for operating the tire inflation compressor.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.XTo open: briefly press marking =.
Stowage compartment : opens.XPress in cigarette lighter ;.
Cigarette lighter ; will pop out
automatically when the heating element is
red-hot.
12 V sockets
Points to observe before use
! The socket in the center console and the
socket in the cargo compartment are not
intended for operating the tire inflation
compressor.
The sockets can be used for accessories, e.
g. lamps or mobile phone chargers with a
maximum current draw of 180 W (15 A).
If you use the sockets for long periods when
the engine is switched off, the battery may
discharge.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.
i You can also use the power sockets when
the SmartKey is in position 1 in the ignition
lock.
An emergency cut-out ensures that the on-
board voltage does not drop too low. If the
on-board voltage is too low, the power to
the sockets is automatically cut. This
ensures that there is sufficient power to
start the engine.
Features285Stowing and featuresZ

damage to the engine or the catalytic
converter. Have excess oil siphoned off.
For further information on engine oil, see
( Y page 375).XReplace cap : on the filler neck and
tighten clockwise.
Ensure that the cap locks into place
securely.
Checking and adding other service
products
Checking the coolant level
Only check the coolant level when the vehicle
is on a level surface and the engine has cooled
down.
XTurn the SmartKey to position
2 (Y page 149) in the ignition lock.
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, press the
Start/Stop button twice ( Y page 149).XCheck the coolant temperature gauge in
the multifunction display.
The coolant temperature must be below
158 ‡ (70 †).GWARNING
In order to avoid any potentially serious burns:
R use extreme caution when opening the
hood if there are any signs of steam or
coolant leaking from the cooling system, or
if the coolant temperature display indicates
that the coolant is overheated.
R do not remove the pressure cap on the
coolant reservoir if the coolant temperature
is above 158 ‡ (70 †). Allow the engine to
cool down before removing the cap. The
coolant reservoir contains hot fluid and is
under pressure.
R using a rag, slowly turn the cap
approximately 1
/ 2 turn to relieve excess
pressure. If opened immediately, scalding
hot fluid and steam will be blown out under
pressure.
R do not spill antifreeze on hot engine parts.
Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol which
may burn if it comes into contact with hot
engine parts.XSlowly turn cap : half a turn counter-
clockwise and allow excess pressure to
escape.XTurn cap : further counter-clockwise and
remove it.
If the coolant is at the level of marker bar
= in the filler neck when cold, there is
enough coolant in coolant expansion
tank ;.
If the coolant is approximately 0.6 in
(1.5 cm) above marker bar = in the filler
neck when warm, there is enough coolant
in coolant expansion tank ;.XIf necessary, add coolant that has been
tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz.XReplace cap : and turn it clockwise as far
as it will go.
For further information on coolant, see
( Y page 376).
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system
The washer fluid reservoir is used for both the
windshield washer system and the headlamp
cleaning system.
i Vehicle components and their service
products must match. You should,
Engine compartment303Maintenance and careZ

XMake sure the vehicle is stationary and the
ignition is switched off.XTurn the SmartKey to position
2 (Y page 149) in the ignition lock.
Use the SmartKey instead of the Start/
Stop button on vehicles with KEYLESS-GO.XDepress and hold the brake pedal.XShift the automatic transmission to
position N.XRelease the brake pedal.XRelease the parking brake.XSwitch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the ignition lock.
! Make sure that:
R the side windows and the sliding sunroof
are fully closed.
R the ventilation/heating is switched off
(the OFF button has been pressed).
R the windshield wiper switch is in position
0 .
Otherwise, the vehicle might be damaged.
After using an automatic car wash, wipe off
wax from the windshield and the wiper
blades. This will prevent smears and reduce
wiping noises caused by residue on the
windshield.
Washing by hand
Carefully remove all deposits of road salt as
soon as possible when driving in winter.
Also, clean the insides of the wheels when
washing the underbody of the vehicle.
XDo not use hot water and do not wash the
vehicle in direct sunlight.XUse a soft car sponge for cleaning.XUse a gentle cleaning agent, e.g. a
Mercedes-Benz approved car shampoo.XWash down the vehicle with a gentle water
jet.XDo not point the water jet directly at the air
inlets.XUse plenty of water and rinse the sponge
frequently.XRinse the vehicle with clean water and dry
it thoroughly with a chamois.XDo not allow the cleaning agent to dry on
the paintwork.
Power washers
GWARNING
Do not use power washers with circular-jet
nozzles (dirt grinders) to clean your vehicle, in
particular the tires. You could otherwise
damage the tires and cause an accident.
! Always maintain a distance of at least
11.8 in (30 cm) between the vehicle and the
power washer nozzle. Information about
the correct distance is available from the
equipment manufacturer.
Move the power washer nozzle around
when cleaning your vehicle.
Do not aim directly at any of the following:
R tires
R door gaps, roof gaps, joints etc.
R electrical components
R battery
R connectors
R lights
R seals
R trim elements
R ventilation slots
Damaged seals or electrical components
can lead to leaks or failures.
Cleaning the wheels
! Do not use acidic wheel cleaning products
to remove brake dust. This could damage
wheel bolts and brake components.
! Do not park the vehicle for an extended
period straight after cleaning it, particularly
after having cleaned the wheels with wheel
cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
increased corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. For this reason, you
should drive for a few minutes after
Care307Maintenance and careZ

Cleaning the windowsGWARNING
Before cleaning the windshield or wiper
blades, switch off the windshield wipers and
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, press the
Start/Stop button repeatedly until all
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster have
gone out. The windshield wipers could
otherwise move and injure you.
XClean the inside and outside of the
windows with a damp cloth and a cleaning
agent that is recommended and approved
by Mercedes-Benz.
! Do not use dry cloths, abrasive products,
solvents or cleaning agents containing
solvents to clean the inside of the windows.
Do not touch the insides of the windows
with hard objects, e.g. an ice scraper or
ring. There is otherwise a risk of damaging
the windows.
! Clean the water drainage channels of the
windshield and the rear window at regular
intervals. Deposits such as leaves, petals
and pollen may under certain
circumstances prevent water from draining
away. This can lead to corrosion damage
and damage to electronic components.
Cleaning the wiper blades
GWARNING
Before cleaning the windshield or wiper
blades, switch off the windshield wipers and
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, press the
Start/Stop button repeatedly until all
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster have
gone out. The windshield wipers could
otherwise move and injure you.
! Do not pull the wiper blade. Otherwise,
the wiper blade could be damaged.
! Do not clean wiper blades too often and
do not rub them too hard. Otherwise, the
graphite coating could be damaged. This
could cause wiper noise.XFold the wiper arms away from the
windshield.XCarefully clean the wiper blades with a
damp cloth.XFold the windshield wipers back again
before switching on the ignition.
! Hold the wiper arm securely when folding
back. The windshield could be damaged if
the wiper arm smacks against it suddenly.
Cleaning the exterior lighting
XClean the plastic lenses of the exterior
lights with a wet sponge and a mild cleaning
agent, e.g. Mercedes-Benz car shampoo or
cleaning cloths.
! Only use cleaning agents or cleaning
cloths which are suitable for plastic light
lenses. Unsuitable cleaning agents or
cleaning cloths could scratch or damage
the plastic light lenses.
Cleaning the sensors
Care309Maintenance and careZ

XTurn emergency spare wheel retainer :
counter-clockwise and remove it.XRemove insert =.XRemove "Minispare" emergency spare
wheel ;.
For further information on changing a wheel
and mounting the spare wheel, see
( Y page 316).
Flat tire
Preparing the vehicle
Your vehicle may be equipped with a
"Minispare" emergency spare wheel or
MOExtended tires (tires with run-flat
properties) ( Y page 325).
i Vehicle preparation is not necessary on
vehicles with MOExtended tires.
i Vehicles equipped with MOExtended tires
are not equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the
factory. It is therefore recommended that
you additionally equip your vehicle with a
TIREFIT kit if you mount tires that do not
feature run-flat properties, e.g. winter tires.
A TIREFIT kit can be obtained from an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
XMake sure that highway level is
selected 36
(Y page 189).XStop the vehicle as far away as possible
from traffic on solid, non-slippery and level
ground.XSwitch on the hazard warning lamps.XFirmly depress the parking brake.XBring the front wheels into the straight-
ahead position.XMove the DIRECT SELECT lever to P.XSwitch off the engine.XVehicles without KEYLESS-GO: remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock.XVehicles with KEYLESS-GO: open the
driver's door.
The on-board electronics have status 0,
which is the same as the SmartKey having
been removed.XVehicles with KEYLESS-GO: remove the
Start/Stop button from the ignition lock
( Y page 149).XAll occupants must get out of the vehicle.
Make sure that they are not endangered as
they do so.XMake sure that no one is near the danger
area while a wheel is being changed.
Anyone who is not directly assisting in the
wheel change should, for example, stand
behind the barrier.XGet out of the vehicle. Pay attention to
traffic conditions when doing so.XClose the driver's door.
i Only operate the tire inflation compressor
using the socket in the footwell of the
second row of seats ( Y page 286), even if
the ignition is turned off.
An emergency cut-off ensures that the on-
board electrical system voltage does not
drop too low. If the on-board electrical
system voltage is too low, power to the
sockets is automatically cut off. This
ensures that there is sufficient power to
start the engine.
36 Vehicles with air suspension.316Flat tireBreakdown assistance

Towing and tow-starting
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you tow the vehicle, you must use a rigid
towing bar if:
R the engine is not running.
R there is a brake system malfunction.
R there is a malfunction in the power supply
or the vehicle's electrical system.
The power assistance for the steering and the
brake force booster do not work when the
engine is not running. You will need more
force to steer and brake, you may have to
depress the brake pedal with maximum force.
Before towing away, make sure that the
steering can be moved and is not locked.
If you tow or tow-start another vehicle, its
weight must not exceed the maximum
permissible gross vehicle weight of your
vehicle.
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed.
! You may only tow the vehicle a maximum
distance of 30 miles (50 km). A towing
speed of 30 mph (50 km/h) must not be
exceeded.
For towing distances over 30 miles
(50 km), the vehicle must loaded onto a
transporter.
! Only secure the tow rope or tow bar at the
towing eyes. Otherwise, the vehicle could
be damaged.
! Do not use the towing eye for recovery,
as this could damage the vehicle. If in
doubt, recover the vehicle with a crane.
! When towing, pull away slowly and
smoothly. If the tractive power is too high,
the vehicles could be damaged.
! Do not tow with sling-type equipment.
This could damage the vehicle.
! When towing vehicles with KEYLESS-GO,
use the key instead of the Start/Stop
button. Otherwise, the automatic
transmission may shift to position P when
the driver's or front-passenger door are
opened, which could lead to damage to the
transmission.
! Vehicles with differential locks: make
sure that the differential locks are in
automatic mode. When towing, the
differential locks must not be switched on
by hand. This could otherwise damage the
transmission.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised,
as doing so will damage the transmission.
If the vehicle has suffered transmission
damage, have it transported on a transporter
or trailer.
The automatic transmission must be in
position N when the vehicle is being towed.
The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
R cannot turn the SmartKey to position 2 in
the ignition lock
R cannot shift the automatic transmission to
position N
i Before the vehicle is towed, switch off the
automatic locking feature ( Y page 226).
You could otherwise be locked out when
pushing or towing the vehicle.
Installing/removing the towing eye
Installing the towing eye
Vehicles with a trailer tow hitch: if possible
secure the towing device on the trailer tow
hitch ( Y page 210).
XRemove the towing eye from the vehicle
tool kit ( Y page 314).Towing and tow-starting331Breakdown assistanceZ

GWARNING
The exhaust tail pipe may be hot. You could
burn yourself if you touch the tail pipe. Be
particularly careful when removing the rear
cover.
The mountings for the removable towing eyes
are located in the bumpers. They are at the
front and at the rear, under the covers.
XPress the mark on cover : inwards in the
direction of the arrow.XTake cover : off the opening.XScrew the towing eye in clockwise to the
stop and tighten it.
Removing the towing eye
XLoosen the towing eye and unscrew it.XAttach cover : to the bumper and press
until it engages.XPlace the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit.
Towing a vehicle with both axles on
the ground
When having your vehicle towed, observe the
important safety notes ( Y page 331).
GWARNING
The power assistance for the steering and the
brake force booster do not work when the
engine is not running. You will then need
much more effort to brake and steer the
vehicle. Adapt your style of driving
accordingly.
The automatic transmission automatically
shifts to position P when you open the driver's
or front-passenger door or when you remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock. In order
to ensure that the automatic transmission
stays in position N when towing the vehicle,
you must observe the following points:
XMake sure that the vehicle is stationary and
the SmartKey in the ignition lock is in
position 0.XTurn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use the key
instead of the Start/Stop button
( Y page 149).XDepress and hold the brake pedal.XShift the automatic transmission to
position N.XRelease the brake pedal.XRelease the parking brake.XLeave the SmartKey in position 2 in the
ignition lock.
Transporting the vehicle
The towing eyes or trailer tow hitch can be
used to pull the vehicle onto a trailer or
transporter if you wish to transport it.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.XShift the automatic transmission to
position N.332Towing and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

As soon as the vehicle is loaded:XPrevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the parking brake.XShift the automatic transmission to
position P.XTurn the SmartKey to position 0 in the
ignition lock and remove the SmartKey
from the ignition lock.XSecure the vehicle.
! Only lash the vehicle down by the wheels
or wheel rims, not by parts of the vehicle
such as axle or steering components.
Otherwise, the vehicle could be damaged.
Notes for 4MATIC vehicles
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised,
as doing so will damage the transmission.
If the vehicle has transmission damage or
damage to the front or rear axle, have it
transported on a transporter or trailer.
In the event of damage to the electrical
system
If the battery is defective, the automatic
transmission will be locked in position P. To
shift the automatic transmission to position
N , you must provide power to the vehicle's
electrical system in the same way as when
jump-starting ( Y page 329).
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter
or trailer.
Recovering a vehicle that has become
stuck
! Pull away smoothly, slowly, and in a
straight line when pulling out a vehicle that
has become stuck. Excessive tractive
power could damage the vehicles.
If the drive wheels have become stuck in
loose or muddy ground, pull the vehicle out
with extreme caution, particularly if it is
laden.
Never attempt to recover a stuck vehicle with
a trailer attached.
Pull out the vehicle backwards, if possible
using the tracks it made when it became
stuck.
Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
! Vehicles with automatic transmission
must not be started by tow-starting. This
could otherwise damage the transmission.
Fuses
Important safety notes
The fuses in your vehicle serve to close down
faulty circuits. If a fuse blows, all the
components on the circuit and their functions
stop operating.
GWARNING
Only use fuses approved by Mercedes-Benz
with the specified amperage for the system in
question and do not attempt to repair or
bridge a blown fuse. Using other than
approved fuses or using repaired or bridged
fuses may cause an overload leading to a fire,
and/or cause damage to electrical
components and/or systems. Have the cause
determined and remedied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Blown fuses must be replaced with fuses of
the same rating, which you can recognize by
the color and value. The fuse ratings are listed
in the fuse allocation chart. An authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center will be happy to
advise you.
i If a fuse has blown, contact a breakdown
service or an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
If the newly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Fuses333Breakdown assistanceZ