2013 MERCEDES-BENZ GL-Class park assist

can disrupt driving safety systems such as
ABS (anti-lock braking system) or ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program).
R If ABS malfunctions, the wheels can lock
during braking. This limits the steerability
of the vehicle whe nbraking and the braking
distance may increase .There is a risk of
accident.
R If ESP ®
malfunctions, the vehicle will not be
stabilized if it starts to skid or a wheel starts
to spin. There is a risk of accident.
You should therefore have all work involving
the battery carried out at a qualified specialist
workshop. G
WARNING
Electrostatic build-up can lead to the creation
of sparks, which could ignite the highly
explosive gases of a battery. There is a risk of
an explosion.
Before handling the battery, touch the vehicle
body to remove any existing electrostatic
build-up.
The highly flammable gas mixture forms when
charging the battery as well as when jump-
starting.
Always make sure that neither you nor the
battery is electrostatically charged. There is
a build-up of electrostatic charge, e.g.:
R by wearing clothing made from synthetic
fibers
R due to friction between clothing and seats
R if you push or pull the battery across the
carpet or other synthetic materials
R if you wipe the battery with a cloth. G
WARNING
During the charging process, a battery
produces hydrogen gas. If a short circuit
occurs or sparks are created, the hydrogen
gas can ignite. There is a risk of an explosion. R
Make sure that the positive terminal of a
connected battery does not come into
contact with vehicle parts.
R Never place metal objects or tools on a
battery.
R It is important that you observe the
described order of the battery terminals
when connecting and disconnecting a
battery.
R When jump-starting, make sure that the
battery poles with identical polarity are
connected.
R It is particularly important to observe the
described order when connecting and
disconnecting the jumper cables.
R Never connect or disconnect the battery
terminals while the engine is running. G
WARNING
Battery acid is caustic. There is a risk of injury.
Avoid contact with the skin, eyes or clothing.
Do not inhale any battery gases. Do not lean
over the battery. Keep children away from
batteries. Wash battery acid immediately with
water and seek medical attention. H
Environmental note Batteries contain dangerous
substances. It is against the
law to dispose of them with
the household rubbish. They
must be collected separately
and recycled to protect the
environment.
Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally friendly
manner. Take discharged
batteries to a qualified
specialist workshop or a
special collection point for
used batteries.
! Have the battery checked regularly at a
qualified specialist workshop. 388
Battery (vehicle)Breakdown assistance

Observe the service intervals in the
Maintenance Booklet or contact a qualified
specialist workshop for more information.
! You should have all work involving the
battery carried out at aqualified specialist
workshop. In the exceptional case that it is
necessary for you to disconnect the battery
yourself, make sure that:
R you switch off the engine and remove the
SmartKey. On vehicles with KEYLESS-
GO, ensure that the ignition is switched
off .C heck that all the indicator lamps in
the instrumentc luster are off.Otherwise,
electroni ccomponents, such as the
alternator, may be damaged.
R you first remove the negative terminal
clamp and then the positive terminal
clamp. Never swap the terminal clamps.
Otherwise, the vehicle's electronic
system may be damaged.
R the transmission is locked in position P
after disconnecting the battery. The
vehicle is secured against rolling away.
You can then no longer move the vehicle.
The battery and the cover of the positive
terminal clamp must be installed securely
during operation.
Comply with safety precautions and take
protective measures when handling
batteries. WARNING
Fire, open flames and smoking are
prohibited when handling the
battery. Avoid creating sparks.
Battery acid is caustic. Avoid
contact with the skin, eyes or
clothing.
Wear suitable protective clothing,
in particular gloves, an apron and
a face mask. Immediately rinse acid splashes
off with clean water. Consult a
doctor if necessary. Wear eye protection.
Keep children away.
Observe this Operator's Manual.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you only use batteries
which have been tested and approved for
your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz. These
batteries provide increased impact
protection to prevent vehicle occupants from
suffering acid burns should the battery be
damaged in the event of an accident.
In order for the battery to achieve the
maximum possible service life, it must always
be sufficiently charged.
The vehicle battery, like other batteries, can
discharge over time if you do not use the
vehicle. In this case, have the battery
disconnected at a qualified specialist
workshop. You can also charge the battery
with a charger recommended by Mercedes-
Benz.C ontact a qualified specialist workshop
for further information.
Have the battery charge level checked more
frequently if you use the vehicle mainly for
short trips or if you leave it standing idle for
a lengthy period. Consult a qualified specialist
workshop if you wish to leave your vehicle
parked for a long period of time.
i Remove the SmartKey if you park the
vehicle and do not require any electrical
consumers. The vehicle will then use very
little energy, thus conserving battery
power. Battery (vehicle)
389Breakdown assistance Z

i
If the powers upply has been interrupted,
e.g. if you reconnect the battery, you will
have to:
R set the clock. Information on setting the
clock can be found in the separate
operating instructions.
On vehicles with COMAND and a
navigation system, the clock is set
automatically.
R reset the function for folding the exterior
mirrors in/out automatically, by folding
the mirrors out once (Y page 119).Charging the battery
G
WARNING
During charging and jump-starting, explosive
gases can escape from th ebattery. There is a
risk of an explosion.
Particularly avoid fire, open flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Ensure there is sufficient
ventilatio nwhile charging and jump-starting.
Do not lean over a battery. G
WARNING
Battery acid is caustic. There is a risk of injury.
Avoid contact with the skin, eyes or clothing.
Do not inhale any battery gases. Do not lean
over the battery. Keep children away from
batteries. Wash battery acid immediately with
water and seek medical attention. G
WARNING
Ad ischarged battery can freeze at
temperatures below freezing point .When
jump-starting the vehicle or charging the
battery, gases can escape from the battery.
There is a risk of an explosion.
Allow the frozen battery to thaw out before
charging it or jump-starting.
! Only use battery chargers with a
maximum charging voltage of 14.8 V.
! Only charge the battery using the jump-
starting connection point. Never charge a battery still installed in the
vehicle unless a battery charger unit
approved by Mercedes-Ben
zis being used. A
battery charger unit specially adapted for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles and tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz is available as an
accessory. It permits the charging of the
battery in its installed position. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for further
information and availability. Charge the
battery in accordance with the separate
instructions for the battery charger.
The jump-starting connection point is in the
engine compartment (Y page 391).
Read the battery charger's operating
instructions before charging the battery.
X Open the hood (Y page 366).
X Connect the battery charger to the positive
terminal and ground point in the same
order as when connecting the donor
battery in the jump-starting procedure
(Y page 391). 390
Battery (vehicle)Breakdown assistance

Jump-starting
For the jump-starting procedure, use only the jump-starting connection point, consisting of a
positive terminal and an earth point, in the engine compartment. G
WARNING
Battery acid is caustic. There is a risk of injury.
Avoid contact with the skin, eyes or clothing. Do not inhale any battery gases. Do not lean over
the battery. Keep children away from batteries. Wash battery acid immediately with water and
seek medical attention. G
WARNING
During charging and jump-starting, explosive gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk
of an explosion.
Particularly avoid fire, open flames, creating sparks and smoking. Ensure there is sufficient
ventilation while charging and jump-starting. Do not lean over a battery. G
WARNING
During the charging process, a battery produces hydrogen gas. If a short circuit occurs or sparks
are created, the hydrogen gas can ignite. There is a risk of an explosion.
R Make sure that the positive terminal of a connected battery does not come into contact with
vehicle parts.
R Never place metal objects or tools on a battery.
R It is important that you observe the described order of the battery terminals when connecting
and disconnecting a battery.
R When jump-starting, make sure that the battery poles with identical polarity are connected.
R It is particularly important to observe the described order when connecting and disconnecting
the jumper cables.
R Never connect or disconnect the battery terminals while the engine is running. G
WARNING
Ad ischarged battery can freeze at temperatures below freezing point .When jump-starting the
vehicle or charging the battery, gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of an explosion.
Allow the frozen battery to thaw out before charging it or jump-starting. G
WARNING
Non-combusted fuel can collect in the exhaust system and ignite. There is a risk of fire. Avoid
repeated and lengthy starting attempts.
! Avoid repeated and lengthy starting attempts. Otherwise, the catalytic converter could be
damaged by the non-combusted fuel. Jump-starting
391Breakdown assistance Z

Do not start the vehicl
eusing a rapid charging device. If your vehicle's battery is discharged,
the engine can be jump-started from another vehicle or from a second battery using jumper
cables. Observe the following points:
R The battery is not accessible in all vehicles. If the other vehicle's battery is not accessible,
jump-start the vehicle using a second battery or ajump-starting device.
R You may only jump-start the vehicle when the engine and exhaust system are cold.
R Do not start the engine if the battery is frozen. Let the battery thaw first.
R Only jump-start from batteries with a 12 V voltage rating.
R Only use jumper cables which have a sufficien tcross-section and insulated terminal clamps.
R If the battery is fully discharged, leave the battery that is being used to jump-start connected
for a few minutes before attempting to start. This charges the battery slightly.
R Make sure that the two vehicles do not touch.
Make sure that:
R the jumper cables are not damaged.
R when the jumper cables are connected to the battery, uninsulated sections of the terminal
clamp do not come into contact with other metal sections.
R the jumper cables cannot come into contact with parts such as the V-belt pulley or the fan.
These parts move when the engine is started and while it is running.
X Secure the vehicle by applying the electric parking brake.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the ignitio nlock and remove it (Y page 163). On vehicles
with KEYLESS-GO, make sure the ignition is switched off (Y page 163). All indicator lamps
in the instrument cluster must be off.
X Switch off all electrical consumers (e.g. radio, blower, etc.).
X Open the hood (Y page 366).Position number
001Fidentifies the charged battery of the other vehicle or an equivalent jump-
starting device. 392
Jump-startingBreakdown assistance

X
Slide cover 0002of positive terminal 0003in the direction of the arrow.
X Connect positive terminal 0003on your vehicle to positive terminal 0021of donor battery 001F
using the jumper cable, always begi nwith positive terminal 0003on your own vehicle first.
X Start the engine of the dono rvehicle and run it at idling speed.
X Connec tnegative terminal 0020of donor battery 001Fto ground point 001Eof your vehicle using
the jumper cable, connecting the jumper cable to donor battery 001Ffirst.
X Start the engine.
X Before disconnecting the jumper cables, let the engin erun for several minutes.
X First, remove the jumper cables from earth point 001Eand negative terminal 0020, then from
positive clamp 0003and positive terminal 0021. Begin each time at the contacts on your own
vehicle first.
X Close cover 0002of positive terminal 0003after removing the jumper cables.
X Have the battery checke dataqualified specialist workshop.
i Jump-starting is not considered to be a normal operating condition.
i Jumper cables and further information regarding jump-starting can be obtained at any
qualified specialist workshop. Towing and tow-starting
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Functions relevant to safety are restricted or
no longer available if:
R the engine is not running.
R the brake system or the power steering is
malfunctioning.
R there is a malfunction in the voltage supply
or the vehicle's electrical system.
If your vehicle is being towed, much more
force may be necessary to steer or brake.
There is a risk of an accident.
In such cases, use a tow bar. Before towing,
make sure that the steering moves freely. G
WARNING
If the weight of the vehicle to be towed or tow-
started is greater than the permissible gross
weight of your vehicle:
R the towing eye could detach itself
R the vehicle/trailer combination could
rollover. There is a risk of an accident.
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle,
its weight should not be greater than the
permissible gross weight of your vehicle.
G
WARNING
The vehicle is braked when the HOLD function
or DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. Therefore,
deactivate HOLD and DISTRONIC PLUS if the
vehicle is to be towed.
! Make sure that the electric parking brake
is released. If the electric parking brake is
faulty, visit a qualified specialist workshop.
! Only secure the tow rope or tow bar at the
towing eyes. Otherwise, the vehicle could
be damaged.
! Do not use the towing eye for recovery,
this could damage the vehicle. If in doubt,
recover the vehicle with acrane.
! When towing, pull away slowly and
smoothly .Ifthe tractive power is too high,
the vehicles could be damaged. Towing and tow-starting
393Breakdown assistance Z

!
When towing vehicles with KEYLESS-GO,
use the key instead of the Start/Stop
button. Otherwise, the automatic
transmission may shift to position Pwhen
the driver's or front-passenger door are
opened, which could lead to damage to the
transmission.
! Do not tow with sling-type equipment.
This could damage the vehicle.
! Vehicles with differential locks: make
sure the differential locks are in automatic
mode. When towing, the differential locks
must not be switched on. The transmission
may otherwise be damaged.
! The vehicle can be towed a maximum of
30 miles (50km). The towing speed of
30 mph (50 km/h) must not be exceeded.
If the vehicle has to be towed more than
30 miles (50km), the entire vehicle must be
raised and transported.
! If you tow or tow-start another vehicle, its
weight must not exceed the maximum
permissible gross vehicle weight of your
vehicle.
Information on your vehicle's gross vehicle
weight rating can be found on the vehicle
identification plate (Y page 438).
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed.
If the vehicle has suffered transmission
damage, have it transported on a transporter
or trailer.
The automatic transmission must be in
position Nwhen the vehicle is being towed.
The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
R cannot turn the SmartKey to position 2in
the ignition lock
R cannot release the electric parking brake
R cannot shift the automatic transmission to
position N
i Deactivate the automatic locking feature
(Y page 280). You could otherwise be locked out when pushing or towing the
vehicle. Installing/removing the towing eye
Installing the towing eye Example: towing eye mounting covers
0002 Front cover
0003 Back cover
Vehicles with a trailer tow hitch: if possible,
connect the towbar to the trailer tow hitch
(Y page 257).
The brackets for the screw-in towing eyes are
located in the bumpers. They are at the front
and at the rear, under the covers.
X Remove the towing eye from the vehicle
tool kit (Y page 382).
X To open the cover at the front: press the
mark on cover 0002inwards in the direction
of the arrow.
X To open the cover at the rear: insert a
flat, blunt object into the cutout and lever
cover 0003out of the bumper.
X Take cover 0002or0003 off the opening.
X Screw the towing eye in clockwise to the
stop and tighten it. 394
Towing and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

Removing the towing eye
X
Loosen the towing eye and unscrew it.
X Attach cover 0002or0003 to the bumper and
press until it engages.
X Place the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit. Towing
avehicle with both axles on
the ground
It is importan tthat you observe the safety
instructions when towing away your vehicle
(Y page 393).
The automatic transmission automatically
shifts to position Pwhen you open the driver's
or front-passenger door or when you remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
In order to ensure that the automatic
transmission stays in position Nwhen towing
the vehicle, you must observe the following
points:
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary and
the SmartKey in the ignition lock is in
position 0.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the
ignition lock.
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use the
SmartKey instead of the Start/Stop button
(Y page 163).
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Shift the automatic transmission to
position N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Leave the SmartKey in position 2in the
ignition lock.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 128).
i In order to signal a change of direction
when towing the vehicle with the hazard
warning lamps switched on, use the
combination switch as usual. In this case,
only the indicator lamps for the direction of
travel flash. After resetting the combination switch, the hazard warning
lamp starts flashing again. Transporting the vehicle
! Only lash the vehicle down by the wheels
or wheel rims, not by parts of the vehicle
such as axle or steering components.
Otherwise, the vehicle could be damaged.
The towing eyes or trailer tow hitch can be
used to pull the vehicle onto a trailer or
transporter if you wish to transport it.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the
ignition lock.
X Shift the automatic transmission to
position N.
As soon as the vehicle is loaded:
X Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the electric parking brake.
X Shift the automatic transmission to
position P.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the
ignition lock and remove it.
X Secure the vehicle. Information on 4MATIC vehicles
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised,
as doing so will damage the transmission.
If the vehicle has transmission damage or
damage to the front or rear axle, have it
transported on a transporter or trailer.
In the event of damage to the electrical
system
If the battery is defective, the automatic
transmission will be locked in position P. To
shift the automatic transmission to position
N, you must provide power to the vehicle's
electrical system in the same way as when
jump-starting (Y page 391).
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter
or trailer. Towing and tow-starting
395Breakdown assistance Z