2013 MERCEDES-BENZ GL-Class parking brake

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 Read the information on qualified
specialist workshops: (Y page 28).Notes on breaking-in
anew vehicle Important safety notes
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after
several hundred kilometers of driving.
Compensate for this by applying greater force
to the brake pedal. The first 1,000miles (1,500 km)
The more you look after the engine when it is
new, the more satisfied you will be with its
performance in the future.
R You should therefore drive at varying
vehicle and engine speeds for the first
1,000 miles (1,500 km).
R Avoid heavy loads, e.g .driving at full
throttle, during this period.
R Change gearing ood time, before the
tachometer needle is 0001of the way to the
red area of the tachometer.
R Do not manually shift to a lower gear to
brake the vehicle.
R If possible, do not depress the accelerator
pedal past the point of resistance
(kickdown).
R Only select shift ranges 3,2or 1when
driving slowly, e.g. in mountainous terrain. After 1,000 miles (1,500 km), you can
increase the engine speed gradually and
accelerate the vehicle to full speed.
Additional breaking-in notes for AMG
vehicles:
R
Do not drive faster than 85 mph
(140 km/h) for the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 km).
R Only allow the engine to reach a maximum
engine speed of 4,500 rpm briefly.
R Change gear in good time.
R Ideally, for the first 1,000 miles (1,500 km),
drive in program C.
i You should also observe these notes on
breaking in if the engine or parts of the drive
train on your vehicle have been replaced.
i Always observe the respective speed
limits. Driving
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell can restric tthe
pedal travel or obstruct adepressed pedal.
The operating and road safety of the vehicle
is jeopardized. There is a risk of an accident.
Make sure that all objects in the vehicle are
stowed correctly, and that they cannot enter
the driver's footwell. Install the floormats
securely and as specified in order to ensure
sufficien tclearance for the pedals. Do not use
loose floormats. G
WARNING
Unsuitable footwear can hinde rcorrect usage
of the pedals, e.g.:
R shoes with thick soles
R shoes with high heels
R slippers
There is a risk of an accident. 162
DrivingDriving and parking

Wear suitable footwear to ensure correct
usage of the pedals.
G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect,
for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect .You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk
of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving. G
WARNING
If the parking brake has not been fully
released when driving, the parking brake can:
R overheat and cause a fire
R lose its hold function.
There is a risk of fire and an accident .Release
the parking brake fully before driving off.
! Warm up the engine quickly. Do not use
the engine's full performance until it has
reached operating temperature.
Only shift the automatic transmission to
the desired drive position when the vehicle
is stationary.
Where possible, avoid spinning the drive
wheels when pulling away on slippery
roads. You could otherwise damage the
drive train.
! AMG vehicles: at low engine oil
temperatures below 68 ‡(+20 †), the
maximu mengine speed is restricted in
order to protect the engine .To protec tthe
engine and maintain smooth engine
operation, avoid driving at full throttle when
the engine is cold. Key positions
SmartKey 000D
To remove the SmartKey
0004 Power supply for some consumers, such
as the windshield wipers
0005 Ignition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive position
0006 To start the engine
i The SmartKey can be turned in the
ignition lock even if it is not the correct
SmartKey for the vehicle. The ignition is not
switched on. The engine cannot be started.
KEYLESS-GO General notes
R
Do not keep the KEYLESS-GO key:
- with electronic devices, e.g. a mobile
phone or another SmartKey
- with metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal
foil
- inside metallic objects, e.g. a metal case
This can impair the functionality of the
KEYLESS-GO key.
Do not keep the KEYLESS-GO key in the
temperature-controlled cup holder
(Y page 345). Otherwise, the KEYLESS-GO
key will not be recognized.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO are equipped with
aS martKey featuring an integrated KEYLESS-
GO function and a detachable Start/Stop
button. Driving
163Driving and parking Z

The Start/Stop button must be inserted in the
ignition lock and the SmartKey with the
integrated KEYLESS-GO function must be in
the vehicle.
Pressing the Start/Stop button several times
in succession corresponds to the different
key positions in the ignition lock. This is only
the case if you are not depressing the brake
pedal.
If you depress the brake pedal and press the
Start/Stop button, the engine starts
immediately.
The Start/Stop button can be removed from
the ignition lock. Then, you can insert the
SmartKey into the ignition lock.
i
You do not have to remove the Start/Stop
button from the ignition lock when you
leave the vehicle. You should, however,
always take the SmartKey with you when
leaving the vehicle. As long as the
SmartKey is in the vehicle:
R the vehicle can be started using the
Start/Stop button and
R electrically powered equipment can be
operated.
i The engine can be turned off while the
vehicle is in motion by pressing and holding
the Start/Stop button for approximately
three seconds.
Key positions with KEYLESS-GO As soon as the ignition is switched on, all the
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster light
up. If an indicator lamp does not go out after starting the engine or lights up while driving,
see (Y
page 322).
X Insert Start/Stop button 0002into ignition
lock 0003.
i When you insert Start/Stop button 0002
into ignition lock 0003, the system needs
approximately two seconds recognition
time. You can then use Start/Stop
button 0002.
Activating power supply
X If Start/Stop button 0002has not yet been
pressed, this corresponds to the SmartKey
being removed from the ignition.
X Press Start/Stop button 0002once.
The power supply is switched on. You can
now activate the windshield wipers, for
example.
i The power supply is switched off again if:
R the driver's door is opened and
R you press Start/Stop button 0002twice
when in this position.
Switching on the ignition
X Press Start/Stop button 0002twice.
The ignition is switched on.
i The power supply is switched off again if:
R the driver's door is opened and
R you press Start/Stop button 0002once
when in this position. Start/Stop button
0021
USA only
0020 Canada only 164
DrivingDriving and parking

Starting the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
R open the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
R get out and disrupt traffic.
R operate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of
parking position P.
R starting the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children. G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There
is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces
without sufficient ventilation.
i Vehicles with agasoline engine: the
catalytic converter is preheated for up to
30 seconds after a cold start. The sound of
the engine may change during this time.
Automatic transmission X
Shift the transmission to position
P(Y page 169).
The transmission position displa yinthe
multifunction display shows
P(Y page 169).
i You can also start the engine when the
transmission is in position N.Starting procedure with the SmartKey X
To startag asoline engine: turn the
SmartKey to position 3in the ignition lock
(Y page 163) and release it as soon as the
engine is running.
X To start adiesel engine: turn the
SmartKey to position 2in the ignition lock
(Y page 163).
The 0010 preglow indicator lamp in the
instrumen tcluster lights up.
X When the 0010preglow indicator lamp
goes out, tur nthe SmartKey to position
3(Y page 163) and release it as soon as the
engine is running.
i You can start the engine without preglow
if the engine is warm.
Using KEYLESS-GO to startt he engine X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X To start agasoline engine: press the
Start/Stop button (Y page 163) once.
The engine starts.
X To start adiesel engine: press the Start/
Stop button (Y page 163) once.
Preglow is activated and the engine starts.
i The Start/Stop button can be used to
star tthe vehicle without inserting the
SmartKey into the ignition lock. The Start/
Stop button must be inserted in the ignition
lock and the SmartKey must be in the
vehicle. Pulling away
Automatic transmission G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor
R, the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There
is a risk of an accident. Driving
165Driving and parking
Z

When engaging transmission position
Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do
not simultaneously accelerate.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor
R(Y page 169).
X Release the brake pedal.
X Carefully depress the accelerator pedal.
The electric parking brake (Y page 184) is
automatically released.
The red 0008(USA only) or 000D(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
i It is only possible to shift the transmission
from position Pto the desired position if
you depress the brake pedal. Only then is
the parking lock released. If you do not
depress the brake pedal, you can move the
DIRECT SELECT lever but the parking lock
remains engaged.
i The vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away .The locking knobs in the doors
drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at
any time.
You can also deactivate the automatic
locking feature (Y page 280).
i Upshifts take place at higher engine
speeds after a cold start. This helps the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature more quickly. Pulling away with a trailer To ensure that you do not roll backwards
when pulling away on an uphill slope, engage
the electric parking brake.
X Press and hold handle 0002.
The electric parking brake continues to
brake and prevent the vehicle from rolling
backwards.
The red 0008(USA only) or 000D(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster remains on.
X Depress the accelerator pedal.
X As soon as the vehicle/trailer combination
is held by the driving force of the engine,
release lever 0002.
The electric parking brake is released.
The red 0008(USA only) or 000D(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
Hill starta ssist G
WARNING
After a short time, hill start assist will no
longer brake your vehicle and it could roll
away. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Therefore, quickly move your foot from the
brake pedal to the accelerator pedal. Never
leave the vehicle when it is held by hill start
assist.
X Remove your foot from the brake pedal.
The vehicle is then held for about a second.
X Pull away. 166
DrivingDriving and parking

Hill start assist helps you whe
npulling away
forwards or in reverse on an uphill gradient.
It holds the vehicle for a short time after you
have removed your foo tfrom the brake pedal.
This gives you enough time to move yourf oot
from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal
and to depress it before the vehicle begins to
roll.
Hill start assist will not function if:
R you are pulling away on a level road or on
a downhill gradient.
R the transmission is in position N.
R the electric parking brake is applied.
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning. Driving
167Driving and parking Z

Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor
R, the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There
is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do
no tsimultaneously accelerate. G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to
neutral position Nwhen you switch off the
engine. The vehicle may roll away. There is a
risk of an accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked
vehicle fro mrolling away by applying the
parking brake. DIRECT SELECTl
ever
Overview of transmission positions 0011
Park position with parking lock
000E Reverse gear
000F Neutral
0010 Drive
The DIRECT SELECT lever is on the righ tofthe
steering column.
i The DIRECT SELECT lever always returns
to its original position. The current transmission position
P,R, Nor Dappears
in the transmission position display
(Y page 169) in the multifunction display.
Transmission position and drive
program display !
If the transmission position display in the
multifunction display is not working, you
should pull away carefully to check whether
the desired transmission position is
engaged. Ideally, you should select
transmission position Dand, in AMG
vehicles, drive program Cor S. Do not
restrict the shift range. Transmission position and drive program display
0002
Transmission position display
0003 Drive program display
The current transmission position and drive
program appearint he multifunction display.
i The arrows in the transmission position
display show how and into which
transmission positions you can change
using the DIRECT SELECT lever.
Engaging parkp osition P !
If the engine speed is to ohigh or the
vehicle is moving, do not shift the
automatic transmission directly from Dto
R, from Rto Dor directly to P.The
automatic transmission could otherwise be
damaged. Automatic transmission
169Driving and parking Z

0011
Park position with parking lock
000E Reverse gear
000F Neutral
0010 Drive
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever in the
direction of arrow P.
i The automatic transmission shifts into
park position Pautomatically:
R if you open the driver's door while the
vehicle is stationary in transmission
position Dor R
R if you open the door while traveling at
very low speeds in transmission position
D or R
Engaging parkp osition P automaticallyPark position
Pis automatically engaged if:
R you switch off the engine using the
SmartKey and remove the SmartKey.
R you switch off the engine using the Start/
Stop button and open one of the front
doors.
R the HOLD (Y page 211) or DISTRONIC
PLUS (Y page 198) function brake your
vehicle until it is stationary and at least one
of the following conditions is fulfilled:
- there is a system malfunction.
- the vehicle is on a steep uphill or downhill
gradient .The electric parking brake is
then also applied. Engaging reverse gear R !
Only shift the automatic transmission to
R when the vehicle is stationary.
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever up past the
first point of resistance.
Shifting to neutral N G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
R open the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
R get out and disrupt traffic.
R operate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of
parking position P.
R starting the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children.
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down
to the first point of resistance.
If the engine has been switched off, the
automatic transmission automatically shifts
to N.
If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral N, e.g. when having the
vehicle cleaned in an automatic car wash with
a towing system, observe the following notes: 170
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking