2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL heating

GWARNING
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust the head restraint so that it is as close
to the head as possible and the center of the
head restraint supports the back of the head
at eye level. This will reduce the potential for
injury to the head and neck in the event of an
accident or similar situation.
Do not drive the vehicle without the seat head
restraints. Head restraints are intended to
help reduce injuries during an accident.
! To avoid damage to the seats and the seat
heating, observe the following information:
R keep liquids from spilling on the seats. If
liquid is spilled on the seats, dry them as
soon as possible.
R if the seat covers are damp or wet, do not
switch on the seat heating. The seat
heating should also not be used to dry
the seats.
R clean the seat covers as recommended;
see the "Interior care" section.
R do not transport heavy loads on the
seats. Do not place sharp objects on the
seat cushions, e.g. knives, nails or tools.
The seats should only be occupied by
passengers, if possible.
R when the seat heating is in operation, do
not cover the seats with insulating
materials, e.g. blankets, coats, bags,
seat covers, child seats or booster seats.
! When you move the seats, make sure that
there are no objects in the footwell or
behind the seats. Otherwise, you could
damage the seats and the objects.
! When the rear bench seat is folded
forwards, the front seats cannot be moved
to their rearmost position. You could
otherwise damage the seats and the rear
bench seat.
! Make sure that the sun visor is folded up
before adjusting the backrest and head
restraint height. The head restraint and sun
visor could otherwise collide when the head
restraint is fully extended.
i The rear-compartment head restraints
can be removed ( Y page 103).
Please contact an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center for more information.
i Other topics:
R Cargo compartment enlargement
(folding the second and third row of seats
forward) ( Y page 270)
Adjusting the seats
i Vehicles without Memory function: the
seats can be adjusted within three minutes
of a front door being opened.
The time period starts over again if, within
these three minutes, you:
R open or close a front door
R insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock
or remove it from the ignition lock
R switch the ignition on or off
If the SmartKey is in position 2 in the
ignition lock, the seats can be adjusted at
any time.
:Head restraint height 7;Backrest angle=Seat fore-and-aft adjustment7
Only for vehicles with memory function.100SeatsSeats, steering wheel and mirrors

XMake sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock.XUse switch : to move the thigh cushion
into the desired position.XPress the W or X button to adjust the
contour of the backrest to suit your back.XPress button ? to move the point of
greatest backrest curvature downwards to
the lumbar region and press button = to
move it upwards to the upper back region.XUse button ; to adjust the side bolsters
for optimum lateral support.
Adjusting the four-way lumbar
support
You can adjust the contour of the driver's seat
backrests individually to provide optimum
support for your back.
:To raise the backrest contour;To soften the backrest contour=To lower the backrest contour?To harden the backrest contourSwitching the seat heating on/off
Switching on/off
The three red indicator lamps in the button
indicate the heating level you have selected.
i If the battery voltage is too low, the seat
heating may switch off.
One or more of the indicator lamps in the
seat heating button are flashing.
Driver's and front-passenger seat
Rear seats
The system automatically switches down
from level 3 to level 2 after approximately five
minutes.
The system automatically switches down
from level 2 to level 1 after approximately ten
minutes.
The system automatically switches off
approximately 20 minutes after it is set to
level 1.
108SeatsSeats, steering wheel and mirrors

XMake sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock.XTo switch on: press button : repeatedly
until the desired heating level is set.XTo switch off: press button : repeatedly
until all the indicator lamps go out.
Problems with the seat heating
If one or all of the indicator lamps in the seat
heating button are flashing, the seat heating
has switched off automatically. The vehicle's
electrical system voltage is too low because
too many electrical consumers are switched
on.
XSwitch off electrical consumers which you
do not need, such as the rear window
defroster or interior lighting.
Once the battery is sufficiently charged, the
seat heating will switch back on
automatically.
Switching the seat ventilation on/off
Switching on/off
The three blue indicator lamps in the buttons
indicate the ventilation level you have
selected.
i If the battery voltage is too low, the seat
ventilation may switch off.
XMake sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock.XTo switch on: press button : repeatedly
until the desired ventilation level is set.
i You can open the side windows and the
sliding sunroof using the "Convenience
opening" feature ( Y page 91). The seat
ventilation of the driver's seat
automatically switches to the highest level.
XTo switch off: press button : repeatedly
until all the indicator lamps go out.
Problems with the seat ventilation
If one or all of the indicator lamps in the seat
ventilation button are flashing, the seat
ventilation has switched off automatically.
The vehicle's electrical system voltage is too
low because too many electrical consumers
are switched on.
XSwitch off electrical consumers which you
do not need, such as the rear window
defroster or interior lighting.
Once the battery is sufficiently charged, the
seat ventilation will switch back on
automatically.
Steering wheel
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Do not adjust the steering wheel while driving.
Adjusting the steering wheel while driving, or
driving without the steering wheel adjustment
feature locked could cause the driver to lose
control of the vehicle.
The electrical steering wheel adjustment
feature can be operated at any time.
Therefore, do not leave children unattended
in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked
vehicle. A child's unsupervised access to a
vehicle could result in an accident and/or
serious personal injury.
Steering wheel109Seats, steering wheel and mirrorsZ

Adjusting the steering wheel
manually
This function is only available in vehicles in
the USA.:Release handle;To adjust the steering wheel height=To adjust the steering wheel position
(fore-and-aft adjustment)XPull release handle : out completely.
The steering column is unlocked.XAdjust the steering wheel to the desired
position.XPush release handle : in completely until
it engages fully.
The steering column is locked.XCheck if the steering column is locked.
When doing so, try to push the steering
wheel up or down or try to move it in the
fore-and-aft direction.Adjusting the steering wheel
electrically:To adjust the steering wheel position
(fore-and-aft adjustment);To adjust the steering wheel height
i Other topics:
R EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature
( Y page 111)
R storing settings ( Y page 114)
Steering wheel heating
Switching on/off
The steering-wheel heating heats the leather
areas of the steering wheel.
XMake sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock.XTo switch on/off: turn the lever in the
direction of arrow : or ;.
Indicator lamp = lights up or goes out.110Steering wheelSeats, steering wheel and mirrors

Problems with the steering wheel
heating
If steering wheel heating indicator lamp = is
flashing, the steering wheel heating has
switched off automatically. The vehicle's
electrical system voltage is too low because
too many electrical consumers are switched
on.
XSwitch off electrical consumers which you
do not need, such as the rear window
defroster or interior lighting.
Once the battery is sufficiently charged, the
steering wheel heating will switch back on
automatically.
EASY-ENTRY/EXIT system
Important safety notes
The EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature makes getting
in and out of your vehicle easier.
You can activate and deactivate the EASY-
ENTRY/EXIT feature in the on-board
computer ( Y page 227).
GWARNING
You must make sure no one can become
trapped or injured by the moving steering
wheel when the easy-entry/exit feature is
activated.
To stop steering wheel movement do one of
the following:
R Move steering wheel adjustment stalk.
R Press one of the memory position buttons.
R Press memory button M.
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Children could open the driver's door and
unintentionally activate the easy-entry/exit
feature, which could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
GWARNING
Let the system complete the adjustment
procedure before setting the vehicle in
motion. All steering wheel adjustment must
be completed before setting the vehicle in
motion. Driving off with the steering wheel
still adjusting could cause the driver to lose
control of the vehicle.
Position of the steering wheel when the
EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature is active
The steering wheel swings upwards when
you:
R remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock
R open the driver's door and KEYLESS-GO is
in position 1
R open the driver's door and the SmartKey is
in position 0 or 1 in the ignition lock
i The steering wheel only moves upwards if
it has not already reached the upper end
stop.
Position of the steering wheel for
driving
The steering wheel is moved to the last
selected position when:
R the driver's door is closed.
R you insert the SmartKey into the ignition
lock.
or
R you press the Start/Stop button once on
vehicles with KEYLESS-GO.
When you close the driver's door with the
ignition switched on, the steering wheel is
also automatically moved to the previously
set position.
The last position of the steering wheel is
stored when you switch off the ignition or
when you store the setting with the memory
function ( Y page 114).
Crash-responsive EASY-EXIT feature
If the crash-responsive EASY-EXIT feature is
triggered in an accident, the steering column
will move upwards when the driver's door is
opened. This occurs irrespective of the
Steering wheel111Seats, steering wheel and mirrorsZ

Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional
equipment of your vehicle available at the
time of publication of the Operator's
Manual. Country-specific differences are
possible. Please note that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systems and functions.
i Please read the information on qualified
specialist workshops ( Y page 24).
Overview of climate control systems
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Severe conditions (e.g. strong air pollution)
may require replacement of the filter before
its scheduled replacement interval. A clogged
filter will reduce the air volume to the interior
and the windows could fog up, impairing
visibility and endangering you and others.
Have a blocked filter replaced at a Mercedes-
Benz Center as soon as possible.
GWARNING
Follow the recommended settings for heating
and cooling given on the following pages.
Otherwise, the windows could fog up,
impairing visibility and endangering you and
others.
The automatic climate control 13
adjusts the
temperature and the humidity of the vehicle
interior and filters undesired substances from
the air.
The automatic climate control 13
is only
operational when the engine is running. 14
Optimum operation is only achieved when
you drive with the side windows and the
sliding sunroof closed.
i Ventilate the vehicle for a brief period
during warm weather, e.g. using the
convenience opening feature ( Y page 91).
This will speed up the cooling process and
the desired vehicle interior temperature
will be reached more quickly.
i The integrated filter can filter out most
particles of dust and completely filters out
pollen. A clogged filter reduces the amount
of air supplied to the vehicle interior. For
this reason, you should always observe the
interval for replacing the filter, which is
specified in the Service Booklet. As it
depends on environmental conditions, e.g.
heavy air pollution, the interval may be
shorter than stated in the Service Booklet.13 Canada only.
14 The residual heat function can only be activated/deactivated when the ignition is switched off.134Overview of climate control systemsClimate control

Activating/deactivating air-
recirculation mode
You can deactivate the flow of fresh air if
unpleasant odors are entering the vehicle
from outside. The air already inside the
vehicle will then be recirculated.
The operation of air-recirculation mode is the
same for all control panels.GWARNING
Fogged windows impair visibility,
endangering you and others. If the windows
begin to fog on the inside, switching off the
air recirculation mode immediately should
clear interior window fogging. If interior
window fogging persists, make sure the air
conditioning is activated, or press the ¬
button.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.XTo activate: press the d button.
The indicator lamp in the d button lights
up.
i Air-recirculation mode is activated
automatically at high outside
temperatures. When air-recirculation mode
is activated automatically, the indicator
lamp in the d button is not lit.
Outside air is added after about 30
minutes.
XTo switch off: press the d button.
The indicator lamp in the d button goes
out.i Air-recirculation mode deactivates
automatically:
R after approximately five minutes if
outside temperatures are less than about
41 ‡ (5 †)
R after approximately five minutes if
cooling with air dehumidification is
deactivated
R after approximately 30 minutes if outside
temperatures are over about
41 ‡ (5 †)
i The air-recirculation mode is not
deactivated automatically at outside
temperatures above 79 ‡ (26 †). After
approximately 30 minutes, outside air is
added. 21
Activating/deactivating the residual
heat function
It is possible to make use of the residual heat
of the engine to continue heating the
stationary vehicle for up to 30 minutes after
the engine has been switched off. The heating
time depends on the temperature that has
been set.
i The blower will run at a low speed
regardless of the airflow setting.
i If you activate the residual heat function
at high temperatures, only the ventilation
will be activated. The blower runs at
medium speed.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 0 in the
ignition lock or remove it.XTo activate: press the Á button.
The indicator lamp in the Á button lights
up.XTo switch off: press the Á button.
The indicator lamp in the Á button goes
out.21 Vehicles with automatic climate control144Operating the climate control systemClimate control

Driving tips
Kickdown
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration.
XVehicles for USA: fully depress the
accelerator pedal.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.XVehicles for Canada: depress the
accelerator pedal beyond the pressure
point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
Rocking the vehicle free
Rocking the vehicle free by shifting back and
forth between transmission positions D and
R can help to free a vehicle that has become
stuck in mud or snow. The engine
management system of the vehicle limits
shifting back and forth between transmission
positions D and R to a maximum speed of
5 mph (9 km/h). To shift back and forth
between transmission positions D and R,
move the selector lever up and down beyond
the pressure point.
Working on the vehicle
GWARNING
When working on the vehicle, engage the
parking brake and shift the automatic
transmission into park position P. Otherwise
the vehicle could roll away which could result
in an accident and/or serious personal injury.
Trailer towing
XWhen towing a trailer and driving downhill,
shift to the lower gear if the automatic
transmission constantly shifts between
two gears.XEngaging a lower gear and reducing the
speed reduces the risk of the engine
overheating.Steering wheel paddle shifters:Left-hand steering wheel paddle shifter;Right-hand steering wheel paddle shifter
You can restrict or derestrict the shift range
by using the steering wheel paddle shifters.
Shift ranges
Introduction
When the automatic transmission is in
position D, it is possible to restrict or
derestrict the shift range ( Y page 157).
The shift range selected is shown in the
multifunction display. The automatic
transmission shifts only as far as the selected
gear.
Driving situations=You can use the engine's braking
effect.5To use the braking effect of the
engine on downhill gradients and
for driving:
R on steep mountain roads
R in mountainous terrain
R in arduous conditions4To use the braking effect of the
engine on extremely steep downhill
gradients and on long downhill
stretchesAutomatic transmission157Driving and parkingZ