2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GLK SUV maintenance

Adding engine oil
G
WARNING
If engine oil comes into contact with hot
engine parts, it may ignite and you could burn
yourself. Do not spill any engine oil on hot
engine parts. H
Environmental note
When topping up the oil, take care not to spill
any. If oil enters the soil or waterways, it is
harmful to the environment.
! Only use engine oils and oil filters that
have been approved for vehicles with a
service system. You can obtain a list of the
engine oils and oil filters tested and
approved in accordance with the
Mercedes-Benz Specifications for Service
Products at any Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre.
Damage to the engine or exhaust system is
caused by the following:
R using engine oils and oil filters that have
not been specifically approved for the
service system
R changing the engine oil and oil filter after
missing the change interval required by
the service system
R using engine oil additives
! Do not add too much oil. If the oil level is
above the "max" mark on the dipstick, too
much oil has been added. This can lead to
damage to the engine or the catalytic con-
verter. Have excess oil siphoned off. Example: engine oil filler cap
X
Turn cap :anti-clockwise and remove it.
X Top up the engine oil.
If the oil level is at or below the MIN mark
on the oil dipstick, add 1.0 litre of engine
oil.
X Replace cap :on the filler neck and turn
clockwise.
Make sure that the cap locks securely into
place.
X Check the oil level again with the oil dip-
stick (Y page 315).
For further information on engine oil, see
(Y page 369). Checking and adding other service
products
Checking the coolant level G
WARNING
The cooling system is pressurised. Therefore,
only unscrew the cap once the engine has
cooled down. The coolant temperature gauge
must display less than 70 † . Otherwise, you
could be scalded if hot coolant escapes.
Only check the coolant level if the vehicle is
on a level surface and the engine has cooled
down.
X Turn the key to position 2(Y page 147) in
the ignition lock. 316
Engine compartmentMaintenance and care

On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, press the
Start/Stop button twice (Y
page 147).
X Check the coolant temperature display in
the instrument cluster.
The coolant temperature must be below
70 †. X
Slowly turn cap :half a turn anti-clock-
wise and allow excess pressure to escape.
X Turn cap :further anti-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 level is approximately
1.5 cm above marker bar =in the filler
neck when warm, there is enough coolant
in coolant expansion tank ;.
X If necessary, top up with coolant that has
been tested and approved by Mercedes-
Benz.
X Replace cap :and turn it clockwise as far
as it will go.
For further information on coolant, see
(Y page 371).
Topping up the windscreen washer sys-
tem/headlamp cleaning system G
WARNING
Windscreen washer fluid/antifreeze is highly
flammable. Avoid spilling windscreen washer
fluid/antifreeze on hot engine components as it can ignite and burn. Severe burns could be
the result.
X
To open: pull cap:upwards by the tab.
X Top up with the premixed washer fluid.
X To close: press cap :onto the filler neck
until it engages.
The washer fluid reservoir is used for both the
windscreen washer system and the headlamp
cleaning system.
For further information on windscreen
washer fluid/antifreeze (Y page 372). Care
General notes
! For cleaning your vehicle, do not use any
of the following:
R dry, rough or hard cloths
R abrasive cleaning agents
R solvents
R cleaning agents containing solvents
Do not scrub.
Do not touch the surfaces or protective
films with hard objects, e.g. a ring or ice
scraper. You could otherwise scratch or
damage the surfaces and protective film. H
Environmental note
Dispose of empty packaging and cleaning
cloths in an environmentally responsible man-
ner. Care
317Maintenance and care Z

!
Do not park up 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 clean-
ing. Braking heats the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings, thus drying them. The
vehicle can then be parked up.
Regular care of your vehicle is a condition for
retaining the quality in the long term.
Use care products and cleaning agents rec-
ommended and approved by Mercedes-Benz. Care of the exterior
Automatic car wash G
WARNING
Braking efficiency is reduced after washing
the vehicle. This could cause an accident. For
this reason, following a car wash, drive with
particular care until the brakes are dry. G
WARNING
The vehicle is braked when the HOLD function
or DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. Therefore,
deactivate the HOLD function and DISTRONIC
PLUS before the vehicle is washed in an auto-
matic car wash.
! Make sure that the automatic transmis-
sion is in position Nwhen washing your
vehicle in a tow-through car wash. The vehi-
cle could be damaged if the transmission is
in another position.
! Make sure that:
R the side windows and sliding sunroof are
closed completely.
R the blower for the ventilation/heating is
switched off (OFF button is depressed).
R the windscreen wiper switch is at posi-
tion 0.
The vehicle could otherwise be damaged. You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the very start.
Wash off excess dirt before cleaning the vehi-
cle in an automatic car wash.
After using an automatic car wash, wipe off
wax from the windscreen and the wiper
blades. This will prevent smears and reduce
wiping noises caused by residue on the wind-
screen.
Washing by hand
In some countries, washing by hand is only
allowed at specially equipped washing bays.
Observe the legal requirements for each indi-
vidual country.
X
Do not use hot water and do not wash the
vehicle in direct sunlight.
X Use a soft sponge to clean.
X Use a mild cleaning agent, such as a car
shampoo approved by Mercedes-Benz.
X Thoroughly hose down the vehicle with a
gentle jet of water.
X Do not point the water jet directly towards
the air inlet.
X Use plenty of water and rinse out the
sponge frequently.
X Rinse the vehicle with clean water and dry
thoroughly with a chamois.
X Do not let the cleaning agent dry on the
paintwork.
When using the vehicle in winter, remove all
traces of road salt deposits carefully and as
soon as possible.
High-pressure cleaning equipment G
WARNING
Do not use high-pressure cleaners with circu-
lar-jet nozzles (dirt grinders) to clean your
vehicle, in particular the tyres. You could oth-
erwise damage the tyres and cause an acci-
dent.
! Always maintain a distance of at least
30 cm between the vehicle and the high- 318
CareMaintenance and care

pressure cleaner nozzle. Information about
the correct distance is available from the
equipment manufacturer.
Move the high-pressure cleaner nozzle
around when cleaning your vehicle.
Do not aim directly at any of the following:
R tyres
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 up 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 clean-
ing. Braking heats the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings, thus drying them. The
vehicle can then be parked up.
Cleaning the paintwork Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected
by corrosion and damage caused by inade-
quate care cannot always be completely
repaired. In such cases, visit a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
X Remove impurities immediately, where
possible, whilst avoiding rubbing too hard.
X Soak insect remains with insect remover
and rinse off the treated areas afterwards. X
Soak bird droppings with water and rinse
off the treated areas afterwards.
X Remove coolant, brake fluid, tree resin,
oils, fuels and greases by rubbing gently
with a cloth soaked in petroleum ether or
lighter fluid.
X Use tar remover to remove tar stains.
X Use silicone remover to remove wax.
! Do not affix:
R stickers
R films
R magnetic plates or similar items
to painted surfaces. You could otherwise
damage the paintwork.
Care and treatment of matt paintwork If your vehicle has a clear matt finish, observe
the following instructions in order to avoid
damage to the paintwork due to incorrect
care.
These notes also apply to light-alloy wheels
with a clear matt finish.
!
Never polish the vehicle or the light alloy
wheels. Polishing makes the paintwork
shiny.
! The following may cause the paint to
become shiny and thus reduce the matt
effect:
R Vigorous rubbing with unsuitable mate-
rials.
R Frequent use of car washes.
R Washing the vehicle in direct sunlight.
! Never use paint cleaner, buffing or pol-
ishing products, or gloss preserver, e.g.
wax. These products are only suitable for
high-gloss surfaces. Their use on vehicles
with matt finish leads to considerable sur-
face damage (shiny, spotted areas).
Always have paintwork repairs carried out
at a qualified specialist workshop.
! Do not use wash programs with a hot wax
treatment under any circumstances. Care
319Maintenance and care Z

i
The vehicle should preferably be washed
by hand using a soft sponge, car shampoo
and plenty of water.
i Use only insect remover and car shampoo
from the range of recommended and
approved Mercedes-Benz care products.
Cleaning the windows G
WARNING
Switch off the windscreen wipers and remove
the key from the ignition lock before cleaning
the windscreen or the wiper blades. On vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO, press the Start/Stop
button repeatedly until all indicator lamps in
the instrument cluster have gone off. The
windscreen wipers could otherwise move and
injure you.
! Only fold the windscreen wipers away
from the windscreen when vertical. Other-
wise, you will damage the bonnet.
! Do not use dry cloths, abrasive products,
solvents or cleaning agents containing sol-
vents 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
windscreen and the rear window at regular
intervals. Deposits such as leaves, petals
and pollen may under certain circumstan-
ces prevent water from draining away. This
can lead to corrosion damage and damage
to electronic components.
X Clean the inside and outside of the win-
dows with a damp cloth and a cleaning
agent that is recommended and approved
by Mercedes-Benz.
Cleaning the wiper blades G
WARNING
Switch off the windscreen wipers and remove
the key from the ignition lock before cleaning the windscreen or the wiper blades. On vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO, press the Start/Stop
button repeatedly until all indicator lamps in
the instrument cluster have gone off. The
windscreen wipers could otherwise move and
injure you.
! Only fold the windscreen wipers away
from the windscreen when vertical. Other-
wise, you will damage the bonnet.
! Do not pull on 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.
! Hold the wiper arm securely when folding
back. The windscreen could be damaged if
the wiper arm hits against it suddenly.
X Fold the wiper arms away from the wind-
screen.
X Clean the wiper blades carefully using a
damp cloth.
X Fold the windscreen wipers back again
before switching on the ignition.
Cleaning the exterior lighting !
Only use cleaning agents or cleaning
cloths that are suitable for plastic lenses.
Unsuitable cleaning agents or cleaning
cloths could scratch or damage the plastic
lenses of the exterior lighting.
X Clean the plastic lenses of the exterior
lighting using a wet sponge and a mild
cleaning agent, e.g. Mercedes-Benz car
shampoo. Or clean the exterior lighting
with cleaning cloths.
Cleaning the mirror turn signal !
Only use cleaning agents or cleaning
cloths that are suitable for plastic lenses.
Unsuitable cleaning agents or cleaning 320
CareMaintenance and care

cloths could scratch or damage the plastic
lenses of the mirror turn signals.
X Clean the plastic lenses of the mirror turn
signals using a wet sponge and a mild
cleaning agent, e.g. Mercedes-Benz car
shampoo. Cleaning cloths may be used as
well.
Cleaning the sensors !
If you clean the sensors with a high-pres-
sure cleaner, make sure that you keep a
distance of at least 30 cm between the
vehicle and the high-pressure cleaner noz-
zle. Information about the correct distance
is available from the equipment manufac-
turer. X
Clean sensors :of the driving systems
with water, car shampoo and a soft cloth.
Cleaning the reversing camera !
Do not clean the camera lens and the area
around the reversing camera with a high-
pressure cleaner. X
Use clear water and a soft cloth to clean
camera lens :.
Cleaning the exhaust tail pipes !
Do not clean the exhaust pipe with acid-
based cleaning agents such as sanitary
cleansers or wheel cleaners.
Impurities combined with the effects of road
grit and corrosive environmental factors may
cause flash rust to form on the surface. You
can restore the original shine of the exhaust
tail pipe by cleaning it regularly, especially in
winter and after washing.
X Clean the exhaust tail pipes with a chrome
care product tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
Cleaning the trailer tow hitch H
Environmental note
Dispose of oily and greasy cloths in an envi-
ronmentally-responsible manner.
! Do not clean the ball coupling with a high-
pressure cleaner. Do not use solvents.
! Observe the note on care provided by the
trailer manufacturer.
The ball coupling must be cleaned if it
becomes dirty or corroded.
X Remove rust on the ball of the ball coupling,
e.g. with a wire brush.
X Remove dirt with a clean, lint-free cloth or
a brush. Care
321Maintenance and care Z

:
Ball coupling
; Locking balls
= Guide pin
? Guide faces
A Release lever
B Handwheel
X Lightly oil or grease positions :toB and
the ball coupling recess of the vehicle after
cleaning.
X Treat the lock in handwheel Bwith an
acid-free and resin-free oil.
X Check that the vehicle's trailer tow hitch is
working properly.
i You can also have the maintenance work
on the ball coupling and the trailer tow hitch
carried out by a qualified specialist work-
shop. Interior care
Cleaning the display !
For cleaning, do not use any of the fol-
lowing:
R alcohol-based thinner or petrol
R abrasive cleaning agents
R commercially-available household clean-
ing agents
These may damage the display surface. Do
not put pressure on the display surface
when cleaning. This could lead to irrepara-
ble damage to the display. X
Before cleaning the display, make sure that
it is switched off and has cooled down.
X Clean the display surface using a commer-
cially available microfibre cloth and TFT/
LCD display cleaner.
X Dry the display surface using a dry micro-
fibre cloth.
Cleaning the plastic trim G
WARNING
When cleaning the steering wheel boss and
dashboard, do not use cockpit sprays or
cleaning agents containing solvents. Cleaning
agents containing solvents cause the surface
to become porous, and as a result plastic
parts may break away and be thrown around
the interior when an airbag is deployed, which
may result in severe injuries.
! Do not affix the following to plastic surfa-
ces:
R stickers
R films
R scented oil bottles or similar items
You could otherwise damage the plastic.
! Do not allow cosmetics, insect repellent
or sunscreen to come in contact with the
plastic trim. This maintains the high-quality
look of the surfaces.
X Wipe the plastic trim with a damp, lint-free
cloth, e.g. a microfibre cloth.
X Heavy soiling: use car care and cleaning
products recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
The surface may change colour tempora-
rily. Wait until the surface is dry again.
Cleaning the steering wheel and gear or
selector lever X
Thoroughly wipe with a damp cloth or use
leather care agents that have been recom-
mended and approved by Mercedes-Benz. 322
CareMaintenance and care

Cleaning wooden trim and trim ele-
ments !
Do not use solvent-based cleaning agents
such as tar remover, wheel cleaners, pol-
ishes or waxes. There is otherwise a risk of
damaging the surface.
X Wipe the wooden trim and trim elements
with a damp, lint-free cloth, e.g. a microfi-
bre cloth.
X Heavy soiling: use car care and cleaning
products recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
Cleaning the seat covers !
Do not use microfibre cloths to clean gen-
uine leather, artificial leather or
Alcantara® covers. If used often, these can
damage the cover.
! Observe the following when cleaning:
R clean genuine leather covers carefully
with a damp cloth and then wipe the cov-
ers down with a dry cloth. Make sure that
the leather does not become soaked. It
may otherwise become rough and
cracked. Only use leather care agents
that have been tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz. You can obtain these
from a qualified specialist workshop.
R clean artificial leather covers with a cloth
moistened with a solution containing 1%
detergent (e.g. washing-up liquid).
R clean cloth covers with a microfibre cloth
moistened with a solution containing 1%
detergent (e.g. washing-up liquid). Rub
carefully and always wipe entire seat sec-
tions to avoid leaving visible lines. Leave
the seat to dry afterwards. Cleaning
results depend on the type of dirt and
how long it has been there.
R clean Alcantara® covers with a damp
cloth. Make sure that you wipe entire
seat sections to avoid leaving visible
lines. i
Note that regular care is essential to
make sure that the appearance and com-
fort of the covers are retained over time.
Cleaning the seat belts !
Do not clean the seat belts using chemical
cleaning agents. Do not dry the seat belts
at temperatures above 80 † or in direct
sunlight.
X Use clean, lukewarm water and soap solu-
tion.
Cleaning the roof lining and carpets X
Roof lining: if it is very dirty, use a soft
brush or a cleaning agent recommended
and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
X Carpets: use the carpet and textile clean-
ing agents recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz. Care
323Maintenance and care Z