2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL SUV service

Protection of th
eenvironment Genera
lnotes H
Environmental note
Daimler's declared policy is one of compre-
hensive environmental protection.
The objectives are for the natural resources
which form the basis of our existence on this
planet to be used sparingly and in amanner
which takes the requirements of both nature
and humanity into account.
You too can help to protect the environment
by operating your vehicle in an environmen-
tally-responsible manner.
Fuel consumption and the rate of engine,
transmission, brake and tyre wear depend on
the following factors:
R operating conditions of your vehicle
R your personal driving style
You can influence both factors. You should
bear the following in mind:
Operating conditions:
R avoid short trips as these increase fuel con-
sumption.
R make sure that the tyre pressures are
always correct.
R do not carr yany unnecessary weight.
R keep an eye on the vehicle's fuel consump-
tion.
R remove roof racks once you no longer need
them.
R ar egularly serviced vehicle will contribute
to environmental protec tion. You should
therefor eadhere to the service inter vals.
R always have service work carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Personal drivin gstyle:
R do not depres sthe accelerator pedal when
startin gthe engine.
R do not war mupthe engin ewith the vehicle
stationary.
R drive carefully and maintain asafe distance
from the vehicle in front. R
avoid frequent, sudden acceleration.
R change gear in good time and use each gear
only up to Ôof its maximum engine speed.
R switch off the engine in stationary traffic. Returning an end-of-life vehicle
Mercedes-Benz will take back your
Mercedes-Benz to dispose of it in an environ-
mentally responsible manner, in accordance
with the European Union (EU) End of Life
Vehicles Directive.
The End of Life Vehicles Directive applies to
vehicles with agros svehicle weight of up to
3. 5t ,ina ccordance with national regulations.
For several years ,Mercedes-Benz has been
meeting all the legal requirements for a
design which allows for recycling and re-use.
There is anetwor kofreturnpoint sand dis-
assembly plants which can recycle your vehi-
cle in an environmentally-responsible man-
ner. The methods employed in vehicl eand
parts recycling are constantly being devel-
ope dand improved .This means that your
Mercedes-Benz will also con tinue to meet
even the increased recycling quotas in the
future in goo dtime. You can obtain further
information from your national Mercedes-
Benz homepage or your national hotline num-
ber. Product informa
tion
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use
genuine Mercedes-Benz parts, conversion
parts and accessories that have been
approved for the type of vehicle.
Mercedes-Benz tests genuine parts and con-
version parts and accessories that have been
specifically approved for your vehicle for their
reliability, safety and suitability. Despite
ongoing market research, Mercedes-Benz is
unable to assess other parts. Therefore,
Mercedes-Benz accepts no responsibility for
the use of such parts in Mercedes-Benz vehi- Introduction
23 Z

cles. Th
isis also the case, even if they have
bee nindependently or officiall yapproved.
The use of non-approved part scould affect
your vehicle' soperating safety.
Mercedes-Ben ztherefore recommends that
you use genuine Mercedes-Ben zparts, con-
version part sand accessories that have been
approved for the type of vehicle.
Genuine Mercedes-Ben zparts, approved con-
version part sand accessories are available
from aMercedes-Ben zService Centre. Here,
you will receive advice about permissible
technical modif ications, and the parts wil lbe
professionally fitted. Owner'
sManual General notes
Before you firs tdrive off, rea dthis Owner's
Manual carefully and fami liarise yourself with
you rvehicle.
For your own safet yand alonger vehicle life,
follow the instructions and warnin gnotices in
this manual. Disregarding them ma ylead to
damage to the vehicle or personal injury. Vehicle equipment
This Owner's Manua ldescribes all models
and all standard and optional equipment
available for your vehicle at the tim eofpub-
lication of the Owner's Manual. Country-spe-
cific differences are possible. Note that your
vehicle may not be fitted with all features
described .This is also the case for systems
and function srelevant to safety. Therefore,
the equipment on your vehicle may differ from
that in the descriptions and illustrations.
The original purchase contrac tdocumenta-
tion for your vehicle con tains alist of all of the
systems in your vehicle.
Should you have any questions concerning
equipment and operation, please consult a
Mercedes-Benz Servic eCentre. The Owner's Manua
land Servic eBooklet are
important document sand should kept in the
vehicle. Operating safety
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
All work on the vehicle and, in particular, work
relevant to safety or on safety-related sys-
tems must be carried out at aqualified spe-
cialist workshop. G
WARNING
Some safety systems only function when the
engine is running. You should therefor enever
switch off the engine when driving. Otherwise,
the safet ysystems of your vehicle may not
function correctly and as aresult will no lon-
ger protec tyou and other person sasinten-
ded .Ina ddition, there is arisk that you may
lose control of your vehicle and thus cause an
accident. G
WARNING
Work carried out incorrectly, or alterations
made to the vehicle, e.g. re-routing of cables
under coverings, could cause the safety sys-
tems of your vehicle to stop working properly.
The safety systems would thus no longer pro-
tect you and other persons as intended. In
addition, there is arisk that you may lose con-
trol of your vehicle and thus cause an acci-
dent.
All work and alterations to the vehicle, e.g.
installations or modifications ,should there-
for ebec arried out at aqualified specialist
workshop. G
WARNING
If work on electronic equipmen tand its soft-
ware is carried out incorrectly, this equipment
could stop working. The electronic systems
are networ kedv ia interfaces. Tampering with
these electronic systems could cause mal- 24
Introduction

functions in systems wh
ichh ave not been
modified .Malfunctions such as these can
seriously jeopardise the vehicle' soperating
safety and therefore your own safety.
You shoul dthere fore have all work and mod-
ifi ca tions to electronic component scarried
out at aqualified specialist workshop. Declarations of conformity
Wireless vehicle components The followin
ginformation applies to all com-
ponent softhe vehicle and the COMAN Dsys-
tem which receiv eand/or transmit radio
waves:
The component softhis vehicle whic hreceive
and/or transmit radi owaves are compliant
with the basic requirements and other rele-
vant provisions of Directive 1999/5/EC. You
can obtain further information from any
Mercedes-Benz Servic eCentre.
Electromagnetic compatibility The electromagneti
ccompatibility of the vehi-
cle components has been checked and certi-
fied according to the currently valid version
of Directive 72/245/EE Corthe equivalent
ECE Regulation ECE-R 10. Diagnostics connection
G
WARNING
If you connec tequipment to adiagnostics
connection, it can affect the operation of the
vehicle systems. This could compromis ethe
operating safety of your vehicle while driving.
There is arisk of an accident.
Do not connect any equipment to adiagnos-
tics connection. G
WARNING
Loose equipment or cables hanging from a
device which are connected to adiagnostic
connection could impede pedal clearan ce. The equipment or cables could get caught
between the pedals when driving and braking
suddenly
.This coul dimpair th efunction of the
pedals .There is arisk of accident.
Do not attac hany equipment or cable sinthe
driver's footwell.
! If the engin eiss witched off and equip-
ment on the diagnostics connection is
used, the starter batter ymay discharge.
The diagnostics con nection is only intended
for the connection of diagnostic equipmen tat
aq ualified specialist workshop.
Connecting equipmen ttothe diagnostics
con nectio ncan lead to emissions monitoring
information being reset, for example. This
may lead to the vehicle failing to meet the
requirements of the next emissions test dur-
ing the main inspection. Qualified specialist workshop
Aq ualified specialist workshop has the nec-
essary special skills, tools and qualifications
to cor rectly carry out any necessary work on
your vehicle. This particularly applies to work
relevan ttosafety.
Observe the notes in the Servic eBooklet.
Always have the following work carried out at
aq ualified specialist workshop:
R work relevant to safety
R service and maintenance work
R repair work
R modifications, installations and conver-
sions
R work on electronic components
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use a
Mercedes-Benz Servic eCentre. Vehicle registration
Mercedes-Benz may ask its Servic eCentres
to carry out technical inspections on cer tain Introduction
25 Z

vehicles
.The quality or safety of the vehicle
is improved as aresult of the inspection.
Mercedes-Ben zcan only inform you about
vehicl echeck sifith as yourregistra tion data.
It is possible that your vehicle has not yet
been registered in your nam einthe following
cases:
R if your vehicle was not purchase datan
authorised specialis tdealer.
R if your vehicle has not yet been examined
at aM ercedes-Benz Ser vice Centre.
It is advisabl etoregister your vehicle with a
Mercedes-Benz Ser vice Centre.
Inform Mercedes-Benz as soo naspossible
about any change in address or vehicleown-
ership. Correct use
G
WARNING
Variou swarning sticker sare affixed to your
vehicle. Thei rpurpose is to draw your atten-
tion, and the attention of others, to various
dangers. Therefore, do not remove any warn-
ing stickers unless the sticker clearly states
that you may do so.
If you remove the warning stickers, you or
others could be injured by failing to recognise
certain dangers.
Observe the following information when driv-
ing your vehicle:
R the safety notes in this manual
R the Technical Data section in this manual
R traffic rules and regulations
R laws and safety standards pertainin gto
motor vehicles Implie
dwarranty
! Follo wthe instructions in this manual
about the proper operation of your vehicle
as well as about possible vehicle damage.
Damage to your vehicle that arises from culpable contravention
sagainst these
instructions ar enot covered either by
Mercedes-Ben zimplie dwarrant yorbythe
New or Used-Vehicle Warranty. Data stored in th
evehicle Fault data
Components which are critical for vehicle
operation are equipped with fault data mem-
ories as standard. There are also data storage
devices which recor dhow vehicle compo-
nents have reacted in cer tain drivin gsitua-
tion s(e.g. airbag deployment or ESP ®
inter-
ven tion).
This data is used exclusively to:
R assist in the rec tificatio noffaults and
defects
R help Mercedes -Benz optimise and develop
vehicle fun ctions
The data cannot be used to trac ethe vehicle's
movements.
When your vehicle is serviced by Mercedes-
Ben z,this technical information can be read
out from the fault memory. Thi sisperformed
by authorised employees of the Mercedes-
Benz service network using special diagnos-
tic computers.
Af teraf ault has been rectified, the informa-
tion is deleted from the memory. Other mem-
ory data is constantly overwritten. Other devices tha
tstore data
Depe nding on the equipment level, your vehi-
cle may featur ecommunication sand/or
entertainment systems (e.g .navigation devi-
ces, telephone systems). Thes eallow you to
save and edit data required for the operation
of the respective device.
Fur ther information on operation (e.g. on
deletin gdata) can be found in the separate
operating instructions. 26
Introduction

Usefu
linfor mati on
i This Owner's Manual describes all mod-
els, series and optional equipment for your
vehicle that were available at the time of
going to press. National variation sare pos-
sible. Note that your vehicl emay not be
equippe dwith all of the function sdescri-
bed. This is also the case for system sand
functions relevant to safety.
i Read the information on qualified special-
ist workshops: (Y page25). Occupan
tsafety Impo
rtantsafety notes G
WARNING
If service work is not carrie dout correctly, the
operatin gsafet yofyour vehicle may be affec-
ted. This coul dcause you to lose contro lof
your vehicle and cause an accident. More-
over, the safety syste ms maynolonger be
able to protect you or other sastheya re
designed to do.
Always have se rvicew ork carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop. G
WARNING
Modification stoorwork performed incor-
rectly on th efollowin gpartsc an result in the
restraint system snot functioning as in tended:
R ther estraint system, consisting of seat
belt sand their anchorage poi nts,belt ten-
sioners ,belt force limi ters and airbags
R the wiri ng
R networked ele ctronicsystems
Airbags and belt tensioners could fail to
deploy or be triggered in an accident despite
the deceleration for cebeing sufficien ttotrig-
ge rthe systems, or coul dbetriggered unin-
ten tionally. For this reason, never mak eany
modifications to the restraint systems.
Therefore, you must not tamper with elec-
tronic compone ntsort heir software. The seat belts, together with SRS (Supple-
men
talR estraint System), are complemen-
tary, co-ordinated restraint systems
(Y page 41). They reduc ethe risk of injury
in specific ,pre-defined types of accident sit-
uations and thereby increas eoccupant
safety. However, seat belts and airbags gen-
erall ydon ot protect against objec tspene-
tratin gthe vehicle from the outside.
To ensur ethat the restraint system scan
deliver their full potential protection, make
sure that:
R the seat and head restraint are adjusted
properly (Y page 100).
R the seat belt has been fastened properly
(Y page 47).
R the airbags can inflate unrestricted if
deployed (Y page 42).
R the steering wheel is adjusted properly
(Y page 100).
R the restraint systems have not been modi-
fied.
An airbag increases the protection of vehicle
occupant swearing aseat belt. However, air-
bags are only an additional restraint system
which complemen ts,b ut does not replace,
the seat belt. All vehicle occupant smust wear
their seat belt correctly at all times, even if
the vehicle is equipped with airbags. The air-
bags are not deployed in all types of acci-
dents. For example, if the protective capacity
of correctly fastened seat belts is not
increased by deploying the airbags, the air-
bags will not deploy.
Airbag deployment only provides increased
protection if the seat belt is worn correctly.
First ,the seat belt helps to keep the vehicle
occupan tinthe best position in relation to the
airbag. Second, in ahead-on collision ,for
example, the seat belt prevent sthe vehicle
occupan tfrom being propelled toward sthe
point of impact. 40
Occupant safetySafety

G
WARNING
Do not le avec hildren unsupervised in the
vehicle, even if they ar esecur edinac hild
restraint system .They could injur ethem-
selv eson parts of the vehicle. They could also
be seriously or even fatally injure dbypro-
longe dexpos uretoe xtreme hea torcold.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. Part softhe chil drestraint sys-
tem could heat up and the child could burn
herself/himself on them.
If ac hild opens adoor, the child or other per-
sons coul dbeinjured as aresult. They could
get out and injure themselves or be injured by
ap assing vehicle.
Observe the general notes on the HOLD func-
tion, which can be found under the same key-
word. G
WARNING
Unsecured or incorrectly positioned loads
increase the risk of injury for children and all
other occupant sinthe even tof:
R an accident
R sudden braking
R as udden change of direction
Do not transpor theavy or hard objects in the
vehicle interior unless they are secured. You
will fin dfurther information under "Loading
guidelines" in the index.
If ac hild is travellin ginyour vehicle, secure
the child using achild restraint system that is
recommended for Mercedes-Ben zvehicles.
The child restraint system must be appropri-
ate to the age, weight and size of the child.
You should preferabl yfit the child restraint
system to asuitable rear seat. Make sure that
the child is secured for the trip.
Mercedes -Benz recommends that you use
the listed child restraint systems
(Y page 58). You can obtain further infor-
mation about the cor rect chil drestraint sys-
tem from any Mercedes-Benz Ser vice Centre. i
It is advisabl etou se Mercedes-Ben zcare
product stoclean child restraint systems.
You can obtain information about this at
any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat G
WAR
NING
If the front-passenge rairbag is not disabled:
R ac hild secured in achild rest raint system
on the front-passenger seat could be seri-
ously and even fatally injured by the front-
passenger airbag deploying. This is espe-
cially arisk if the child is in the immediate
vicinit yofthe front-passenger airbag when
it deploys.
R never secur eachild on the front-passenger
seat in arearward-facing child restraint sys-
tem. Only secur earearward-facing child
restraint system on asuitable rear seat.
R alway smove the front-passenger seat to
the rearmost position if you secur eachild
in af orward-facing child rest raint system
on the front-passenger seat.
The front-passenger airbag is not disabled:
R on vehicles without automatic child seat
recognition on the front-passenger seat
R in vehicles with automatic child seat rec-
ognition in the front-passenger seat, if no
special child restraint system with trans-
ponders for automatic child seat recogni-
tion in the front-passenger seat has been
fitted
R on vehicles with automatic child seat rec-
ognition on the front-passenger seat, if the
PASSENGER AIRB AGOFF indicator lamp
4 is not lit.
To make you aware of this danger, acorre-
spondin gwarning sticker has been affixed on
the dashboard and on both sides of the sun
visor on the front-passenger side.
Information about recommended child
restraint systems is available at any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Children in th
evehicle
51Safety Z

A
p To switc hthe right-hand fron tread-
ing lam pon/off
B To switch the automati cinterior lighting
control on
X To switch on the front interior lighting:
set the switch to the cpositio n.
X To switch off the interior lighting: set the
switch to the |positio nor(if the door
is closed) to the centre position.
X To switch the rear interior lighting on/
off: press the ubutton.
X To switch the reading lamp son/off:
press the pbutton. Crash-responsive emergency lighting
The interior lightin gisa ctivated automatically
if the vehicle is involved in an accident.
X To switch off the crash-responsive
emergenc ylighting: press the hazard
warning lamp button.
or
X Lock and then unlock the vehicle using the
key. Replacing bulbs
Important safet
ynotes
Xenon bulbs G
DANGER
Xenon bulbs are under high voltage. If you
touch the electrical contact sofaxenon bulb,
you could suffer an electric shock and be seri-
ously or even fatally inju red. For this reason,
do not remove the cover of xenon bulbs.
Do not change the xenon bulbs yourself, but
have them replaced at aqualified workshop.
If your vehicle is equipped with xenon bulbs,
you can recognise this by the following :the
con eoflight from the xenon bulbs moves
from the top to the bottom and back again
when you start the engine. For this to be observed, the lights must be switched on
before starting the engine.
Bulbs and lamps are an important aspect of
vehicle safety. You must therefore make sure
that these function correctly at all times.
Hav
ethe headlamp setting checked regularly.
Other bulbs G
WARNING
Bulbs and lamps can be ver yhot. You should
therefore allow them to cool down befor eyou
change them .Otherwise, you could be burned
if you touch them.
Keep bulbs out of the reach of children .Oth-
erwise, the ycould damage the bulbs, for
example, and inj uret hemselves.
Never use abulbw hich ha sbeend ropped.
Suc hab ulbm ay break or even explode and
injure you.
Haloge nbulbs are pressurised and can
explode when you change them ,particularly
if they are ver yhot.Y ou should therefor ewear
eye protec tion and gloves when you are
changing them.
There are bulbs other than the xenon bulbs
that you can notreplace. Replace only the
bulbs listed (Y page 129). Hav ethe bulbs that
you can notreplace yourself changed at a
qualified specialist workshop.
If you require assistanc echanging bulbs, con-
sult aqualified specialist workshop.
Do not touch the glass tube of new bulbs with
your bare hands. Even minor contamination
can burn into the glass surface and reduce
the service life of the bulbs .Always use alint-
free cloth or only touch the base of the bulb
when fitting.
Only use bulbs of the correc ttype.
If the new bulb still does not light up, consult
aq ualified specialist workshop.
Bulbs and lamps are an importan taspect of
vehicle safety .You must therefor emake sure
that these function correctly at all times.
Have the headlamp setting checked regularly. 128
Replacing bulbsLights and windscree
nwipers

X
Align housing cover :and turn it clock-
wise unti litengages.
X Replace the cove rinthe front wheel arch
(Y page 129).
Main-beam headla mps(halogen head-
lamps) X
Switch off the lights.
X Open the bonnet.
X Turn housing cover :anti-clockwise and
pull it out.
X Pull lever =upwards and remov ebulb
holder ;.
X Take the bulb out of bulb holder ;.
X Insert the new bulb into bulb holder ;.
X Simultaneously press bulb holder ;and
pull lever =downwards.
X Align housing cover :and turn it clock-
wise until it engages.
Side lamps/parking lamps (halogen
headlamps) X
Switch off the lights.
X Open the bonnet.
X Turn housing cover :anti-clockwise and
pull it out.
X Pull out bulb holder ;.
X Take the bulb out of bulb holder ;.
X Insert the new bulb into bulb holder ;.
X Insert bulb holder ;.
X Align housing cover :and turn it clock-
wise until it engages. Replacing the rear bulbs
Openin gand closing th eservice flap Left
-hand service flap Right-hand service flap130
Replacin
gbulbsLight sand windscreen wipers