2013 MERCEDES-BENZ GL-Class tailgate

Locking the vehicle (mechanical key)
If the vehicle can no longer be locked with the
SmartKey, use the mechanical key.
X Open the driver's door.
X Close the front-passenger door, the rear
doors and the tailgate.
X Press the locking button (Y page 85).
X Chec kwhether the locking knobs on the
front-passenger door and the rear doors
are still visible. Press down the locking
knobs manually, if necessary (Y page 85).
X Close the driver's door.
X Take the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey (Y page 80).
X Insert the mechanical key into the lock of
the driver's door as far as it will go. 0004
To lock
X Turn the mechanical key clockwise as far
as it will go to position 0004.
X Turn the mechanical key back and remove
it.
X Make sure that the doors and the tailgate
are locked.
X Insert the mechanical key into the
SmartKey.
i If you lock the vehicle as described above,
the fuel filler flap is not locked. The anti-
theft alarm system is not armed. Cargo compartment
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. If the tailgate
is open when the engine is running,
particularly if the vehicle is moving, exhaust
fumes could enter the passenger
compartment. There is a risk of poisoning.
Turn off the engine before opening the
tailgate. Never drive with the tailgate open. G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock. Always take
the SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system, and do not give them access
to an unlocked vehicle. Achild's unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. They could:
R injure themselves on vehicle parts
R be seriously or fatally injured by extreme
heat or cold
R injure themselves or have an accident with
vehicle equipment that may still be in
operation even after the SmartKey has
been removed from the ignition, such as the
seat adjustment, steering wheel
adjustment or memory function.
If children open a door, they could cause
severe or even fatal injury to other persons; if
they get out of the vehicle, they could injure
themselves when doing so or be seriously or
even fatally injured by any passing traffic.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system's
metal parts, for example, could become very
hot, and a child could be burned on these
parts. Cargo compartment
87Opening and closing Z

G
WARNING
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the
passenger compartment or cargo
compartment unless they are firmly secured
in place.
Unsecured or improperly positioned cargo
increases a child's risk of injury in the event
of
R strong braking maneuvers
R sudden changes of direction
R an accident
! The tailgate swings upwards and to the
rear when opened .Therefore, make sure
that there is sufficient clearance above and
behind the tailgate.
i Tailgate opening dimensions
(Y page 446).
Do not leave the SmartKey in the cargo
compartment. You could otherwise lock
yourself out.
You can:
R close the tailgate manually from outside
R open and close the tailgate automatically
from outside
R open and close the tailgate automatically
from inside
R limit the opening angle of the tailgate
R unlock the tailgate from inside with the
emergency release Opening/closing from outside
Opening X
Press the 000Dbutton on the SmartKey.
X Pull handle 0002and release it.
The tailgate opens automatically.
Closing G
WARNING
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the cargo
compartmento pening when closing the
tailgate. Be especially careful when small
children are around. X
Pull the tailgate down using recess 0002.
X Allow the tailgate to drop into the lock.
X Lock the vehicle if necessary with
the 000C button on the SmartKey or with
KEYLESS-GO.
i If a KEYLESS-GO key is detected in the
cargo compartment, the tailgate will not
lock. 88
Cargo compartmentOpening and closing

Opening/closing automatically from
outside
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Parts of the body could become trapped
during automatic closing of the tailgate.
Moreover, people, e.g. children, may be
standing in the closing area or may enter the
closing area during the closing process .There
is a risk of injury.
Make sure that nobody is in the vicinity of the
closing area during the closing process.
Use one of the following options to stop the
closing process:
R press the 0004button on the SmartKey.
R press the remote operating switch on the
driver's door.
R press the closing or locking button on the
tailgate.
R pull the handle on the tailgate. G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. If the tailgate
is open when the engine is running,
particularly if the vehicle is moving, exhaust
fumes could enter the passenger
compartment. There is a risk of poisoning.
Turn off the engine before opening the
tailgate. Never drive with the tailgate open.
! The tailgate swings upwards and to the
rear when opened. Therefore, make sure
that there is sufficient clearance above and
behind the tailgate.
i Tailgate opening dimensions
(Y page 446).
i The tailgate is equipped with an
automatic reversing feature. If an object
blocks or restricts the tailgate during the
closing process, the tailgate opens again
automatically. Opening the tailgate automatically You can open the tailgate automatically with
the SmartKey or the handle in the tailgate.
X
Press and hold the 0004button on the
SmartKey until the tailgate opens.
or
X If the tailgate is unlocked, pull the handle
and let it go again immediately.
Closing the tailgate automatically G
WARNING
Parts of the body could become trapped
during automatic closing of the tailgate.
Moreover, people, e.g. children, may be
standing in the closing area or may enter the
closing area during the closing process. There
is a risk of injury.
Make sure that nobody is in the vicinity of the
closing area during the closing process.
Use one of the following options to stop the
closing process:
R press the 0004button on the SmartKey.
R press the remote operating switch on the
driver's door.
R press the closing or locking button on the
tailgate.
R pull the handle on the tailgate. Closing and locking button (example: vehicle with
KEYLESS-GO)
0002
Closing button
0003 Locking button Cargo compartment
89Opening and closing Z

X
To close: press closing button 0002on the
tailgate.
or
X Press and hold the 0004button on the
SmartKey until the tailgate closes.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO :you can
simultaneously close and lock the tailgate.
X Press locking button 0003on the tailgate.
If a KEYLESS-GO key is detected outside
the vehicle, the tailgate closes and locks.
All the doors must be shut and the
SmartKey located in the vicinity of the
tailgate.
i The tailgate cannot be opened and closed
with the SmartKey if there is a SmartKey in
the ignition.
If the tailgate touches an object while
closing, the closing procedure is
interrupted and the tailgate reopens.
i If a KEYLESS-GO key is detected in the
cargo compartment, the tailgate will not
lock. Opening/closing automatically from
inside
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Parts of the body could become trapped
during automatic closing of the tailgate.
Moreover, people, e.g. children, may be
standing in the closing area or may enter the
closing area during the closing process. There
is a risk of injury.
Make sure that nobody is in the vicinity of the
closing area during the closing process.
Use one of the following options to stop the
closing process:
R press the 0004button on the SmartKey.
R press the remote operating switch on the
driver's door. R
press the closing or locking button on the
tailgate.
R pull the handle on the tailgate. G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. If the tailgate
is open when the engine is running,
particularly if the vehicle is moving, exhaust
fumes could enter the passenger
compartment. There is a risk of poisoning.
Turn off the engine before opening the
tailgate. Never drive with the tailgate open.
! The tailgate swings upwards and to the
rear when opened. Therefore, make sure
that there is sufficient clearance above and
behind the tailgate.
i Tailgate opening dimensions
(Y page 446).
i The tailgate is equipped with an
automatic reversing feature. If an object
blocks or restricts the tailgate during the
closing process, the tailgate opens again
automatically.
Opening and closing You can open and close the tailgate from the
driver's seat when the vehicle is stationary
and unlocked.90
Cargo compartmentOpening and closing

X
To open: pull remote operating switch 0002
for the tailgate until the tailgate opens.
X To close: turn the SmartKey to position 1
or 2in the ignition lock.
X Press remote operating switch for
tailgate 0002until the tailgate is closed. Limiting the opening angle of the
tailgate
Important safety notes !
Make sure there is sufficient clearance to
open the tailgate fully when setting the
opening angle .The tailgate could otherwise
be damaged. Ideally, set the opening angle
outside.
Activating You can limit the opening angle of the
tailgate. This is possible in the top half of its
opening range, up to approximately 4in
(10 cm) before the stop.
This could be useful, for example, if there is
insufficien tspace above the tailgate.
X To open the tailgate: pull the handle on
the tailgate.
X To stop the opening procedure at the
desired position: press the closing button
(Y page 89) in the tailgate or pull the handle
on the outside of the tailgate again.
X To store the position: press and hold the
closing button in the tailgate until you hear
a short tone.
The opening angle limiter is activated. The
tailgate will now stop in the stored position
when opening.
Deactivating X
Press and hold the closing button
(Y page 89) in the tailgate until you hear
two short tones. Tailgate emergency release
Important safety notes !
The tailgate swings upwards and to the
rear when opened. Therefore, make sure
that there is sufficient clearance above and
behind the tailgate.
i Tailgate opening dimensions
(Y page 446).
If the tailgate can no longer be opened from
outside the vehicle, use the emergency
release on the inside of the tailgate.
Opening X
Take the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey (Y page 80).
X Insert mechanical key 0003into the opening
in paneling 0002.
X Turn mechanical key 000390° clockwise.
X Push mechanical key 0003in the direction of
the arrow and open the tailgate. Side windows
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
While opening the side windows, body parts
could become trapped between the side
window and the door frame as the side
window moves. There is a risk of injury.
Make sure that nobody touches the side
window during the opening procedure. If Side windows
91Opening and closing
Z

Switching the rear window wiper on/
off
Combination switch
0002
0001 Rear window wiper switch
0005 0007 To wipe with washer fluid
0006 ITo switch on intermittent wiping
000B 0To switch off intermittent wiping
000C 000E To wipe with washer fluid
X Turn the SmartKey to position 1or 2in the
ignition lock (Y page 163).
X Turn switch 0002on the combination switch
to the corresponding position.
When the rear window wiper is switched on,
the icon appears in the instrumen tcluster. Replacing the wiper blades
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the windshield wipers begin to move while
you are changing the wiper blades, you could
be trapped by the wiper arm. There is a risk
of injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
ignition before changing the wiper blades.
! Neve ropen the hood/tailgate if a wiper
arm has been folded away from the
windshield/rear window.
Never fold a windshield wiper arm without
a wiper blade back onto the windshield/
rear window. Hold the windshield wiper arm firmly when
you change the wiper blade. If you release
the wiper arm without a wiper blade and it
falls onto the windshield/rear window, the
windshield/rear window may be damaged
by the force of the impact.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have
the wiper blades changed at
aqualified
specialist workshop.
! To avoid damaging the wiper blades,
make sure that you touch only the wiper
arm of the wiper.
Changing the windshield wiper blades Removing the wiper blades
X
Remove the SmartKey from the ignition
lock.
X Fold the wiper arm away from the
windshield. X
Firmly press release knob 0002and pull wiper
blade 0003upwards from the wiper arm in the
direction of the arrow. Windshiel
dwipers
137Lights and windshield wipers Z

R
Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient.
Activate DSR (Y page 250).
R Always keep the doors, tailgate, windows
and sliding sunroo fclosed while driving.
R Adapt your speed to the terrain. The
rougher, steeper or more ruts on the
terrain, the slower your speed should be.
R Drive slowly and at an even speed through
the water .Ensure tha tabow wave does not
form as you drive.
R Drive with extreme care on unfamiliar off-
road routes where visibility is poor. For
safety reasons, get out of the vehicle first
and survey the off-road route.
R Look out for obstacles, such as rocks,
holes, tree stumps and furrows.
R Check the depth of water before fording
rivers and streams.
R When fording, do not stop and do not
switch off the engine.
R On sand, drive quickly to overcome the
rolling resistance. Otherwise the vehicle's
wheels could become stuc kinloose
ground.
R Do not jump with the vehicle as this will
interrupt the vehicle's propulsion.
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a slope.
R Do not shift the automatic transmission to
transmission position N.
i Do not use the HOLD function when
driving off-road, on steep uphill or downhill
gradients or on slippery or loose surfaces.
The HOLD function cannot hold the vehicle
on such surfaces.
Checklist before driving off-road !
If the engine oil warning lamp lights up
while the vehicle is in motion, stop the
vehicle in a safe place as soon as possible.
Check the engine oil level. The engine oil
warning lamp warning must not be ignored.
Continuing the journey while the symbol is
displayed could lead to engine damage. X
Engine oil level: check the engine oil level
and add oil if necessary.
When driving on steep gradients, the
engine oil level must be sufficiently high to
ensure a correc toil supply in the vehicle.
X DEF tank (BlueTEC vehicles): check the
fluid level and, if necessary, refill to the
maximum (13 l) (Y page 181).
X Wheel-changing tool kit: check that the
jac kis working and make sure you have the
lug wrench, a robust tow cable and a folding
spade in the vehicle.
X Wheels and tires: check the tire tread
depth and tire pressure.
X Check for damage and remove any foreign
objects, e.g. small stones, from the
wheels/tires.
X Replace any missing valve caps.
X Replace dented or damaged wheels.
X Rims: dented or bent rims can result in a
loss of tire pressure and damage the tire
bead. Therefore, check your rims before
driving off-road and replace them as
required.
Checklist after driving off-road !
If you detect damage to the vehicle after
driving off-road, have the vehicle checked
immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
X Deactivate DSR (Y page 250).
X Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
lower the vehicle to a ride height suitable
for the road conditions, e.g. to the
highway/high-speed level.
X Cleant he headlamps and rear lights and
check for damage.
X Cleant he front and rear license plates.
X Cleant he wheels/tires with a water jet and
remove any foreign objects.
X Cleant he wheels, wheel housings and the
vehicle underside with a water jet; check
for any foreign objects and damage. 192
Driving tipsDriving and parking

message appears in the multifunction
display.
or
X Press the PARKTRONIC button on the
center console (Y page 219).
PARKTRONIC is switched off and Active
Parking Assist is immediatel ycanceled.
The Park Assist Canceled message
appears in the multifunction display.
Active Parking Assist is canceled
automatically if:
R parking using Active Parking Assist is no
longer possible.
R you are driving faster than 6mph
(10 km/h).
R a wheel spins, ESP ®
intervenes or fails .The
000F warning lamp lights up in the
instrument cluster.
Aw arning tone sounds. The parking symbol
disappears and the multifunction display
shows the Park Assist Canceled message.
When Active Parking Assist is canceled, you
must steer again yourself.
Towing
atrailer For vehicles with a trailer tow hitch, the
minimum length for parking spaces is slightly
increased.
If you have attached a trailer to your vehicle,
you should not use Active Parking Assist.
Once the electrical connectio nis established
between your vehicle and the trailer, Active
Parking Assist is no longer available.
PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area. Rear view camera
Important safety notes The rear view camera is only an aid. It is not
a replacement for your attention to your
immediate surroundings. You are always
responsible for safe maneuvering and
parking. When maneuvering or parking, make sure that there are no persons, animals or
objects in the area in which you are
maneuvering.
Under the following circumstances, the rear
view camera will not function, or will function
in a limited manner:
R the tailgate is open
R in heavy rain, snow or fog
R at night or in very dark places
R if the camera is exposed to very bright light
R if the area is lit by fluorescent light or LED
lighting (the display may flicker)
R if there is a sudden change in temperature,
e.g. when driving into a heated garage in
winter
R if the camera lens is dirty or obstructed
R if the rear of your vehicle is damaged.In
this event, have the camera positio nand
setting checked at a qualified specialist
workshop.
General notes Rear view camera
0002is in the handle on the
tailgate.
Rear view camera 0002is an optical parking and
maneuvering aid. It shows the area behind
your vehicle with guide lines in the COMAND
display.
The area behind the vehicle is displayed as a
mirror image, as in the rear view mirror.
i The text of messages shown in the
COMAND display depends on the language
setting. The following are examples of rear Driving systems
225Driving and parking Z