2013 MERCEDES-BENZ GL-Class ECO mode

If you have purchased a used car, please send
us the "Notification of Used Car Purchase" in
the Service and Guarantee booklet or simply
call the Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance
Center (USA) at the hotline number
1-800-FOR-MERCedes(1-800-367-6372) or
Customer Service (Canada) at
1-800-387-0100. Vehicle operation outside the USA
and Canada
If you plant o operate your vehicle in foreign
countries, please be aware that:
R service facilities or replacement parts may
not be readily available.
R unleaded fuel for vehicles with a catalytic
converter may not be available. Leaded fuel
may cause damage to the catalytic
converter.
R the fuel may have a considerably lower
octane rating. Unsuitable fuel can cause
engine damage.
Some Mercedes-Benz models are available
for delivery in Europe through our European
Delivery Program. For details, consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or write to
one of the following addresses.
In the USA
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
European Delivery Department
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
In Canada
Mercedes-Benz Canada, Inc.
European Delivery Department
98 Vanderhoof Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M4G 4C9 Sports Utility Vehicle
G
WARNING
This Sport Utility Vehicle is designed for both
on-road and off-road use. It can go places and perform tasks for which conventional 2-wheel
drive passenger cars are not intended. This
vehicle will handle and maneuver differently
from conventional passenger cars in driving
conditions which may occur on streets,
highways and off-road use.
This vehicle has a higher ground clearance
and a higher center of gravity than many
passenger cars. As with other vehicles of this
type, if you make sharp turns at excessive
speeds or abrupt maneuvers, the vehicle may
roll over or may go out of control and crash.
Utility vehicles have a significantly higher
rollover rate than other types of vehicles.
Failure to operate this vehicle safely may
result in an accident, rollover of the vehicle,
and severe or fatal injury.
Before you start to drive this vehicle, read the
Operator's Manual. Take time to become
familiar with the driving characteristics of this
vehicle. Be sure you are familiar with all
vehicle controls. Learn how your vehicle
handles on different road surfaces. Do not
attempt sharp turns at excessive speeds or
abrupt maneuvers or other unsafe driving
actions that can cause loss of vehicle control.
When driving off-road or working the vehicle
hard, do not overload it. And, always wear
your seat belts at all times. In a rollover crash,
an unbelted person is significantly more likely
to die than a person wearing a seat belt.
Operating safety
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Work improperly carried out on electronic
components and associated software could
cause them to cease functioning. Because the
vehicle's electronic components are
interconnected, any modifications made may
produce an undesired effect on other
systems. Electronic malfunctions could
seriously impair the operating safety of your
vehicle. 26
Introduction

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).Panic alarm
X
To activate: press000Ebutton 0002for at
least one second.
An alarm sounds and the exterior lighting
flashes.
X To deactivate: press000Ebutton 0002
again.
or
X Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
or
X Press the KEYLESS-GO Start/Stop button.
The KEYLESS-GO key must be in the
vehicle. Occupant safety
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Modifications to or work improperly
conducted on restraint system components
or their wiring, as well as tampering with
interconnected electronic systems, can lead
to the restraint system sno longer functioning
as intended.
Air bags or Emergency Tensioning Devices
(ETDs), for example, could deploy
inadvertently or fail to deploy in accidents
although the deceleration threshold for air
bag deployment is exceeded. Therefore,
never modify the restraint systems. Do not
tamper with electronic components or their
software.
In this section, you will learn the most
important facts about the restraint system
components of the vehicle.
The restraint system consists of:
R seat belts
R child restraint systems
R LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat anchors
Additional protection is provided by:
R SRS (Supplemental Restraint System)
R PRE-SAFE ®
R air bag system components with:
-PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
- front-passenger seat with Occupant
Classification System (OCS)
The different air bag systems work
independently of each other. The protective
functions of the system work in conjunction
with each other. Not all air bags are always
deployed in an accident.
i See "Children in the vehicle" for
information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle restraint
systems for infants and children
(Y page 60). 42
Occupant safetySafety

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).SmartKey
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
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. G
WARNING
If you attach heavy or large objects to the
SmartKey, the SmartKey could be
unintentionally turned in the ignition lock. This
could cause the engine to be switched off.
There is a risk of an accident.
Do not attach any heavy or large objects to
the SmartKey. Remove any bulky key rings
before inserting the SmartKey into the
ignition lock.
! Keep the SmartKey away from strong
magnetic fields. Otherwise, the remote
control function could be affected. 78
SmartKeyOpening and closing

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).Exterior lighting
General notes
For reasons of safety, Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you drive with the lights
switched on even during the daytime. In some
countries, operation of the headlamps varies
due to legal requirements and self-imposed
obligations. Driving abroad
Conversion to symmetrical low beam Switch the headlamps to symmetrical low
beam in countries in which traffic drives on
the opposite side of the road from the country
where the vehicle is registered. This prevents
glare to oncoming traffic. When using
symmetrical lights, the edge of the road is not
lit as widely and as far ahead as normal.
Have the headlamps converted at a qualified
specialist workshop as close to the border as
possible before driving in these countries.
Conversion to asymmetrical low beam
after returning Have the headlamps converted back to
asymmetrical low-beam headlamps at a
qualified specialist workshop as soon as
possible after crossing the border again. Setting the exterior lighting
Setting options Exterior lighting can be set using:
R
the light switch
R the combination switch (Y page 127)
R the on-board computer (Y page 278)
Light switch Operation
00040011
Left-hand standing lamps
00050013 Right-hand standing lamps
00060016 Parking lamps, license plate and
instrumen tcluste rlighting
000B0006 Automatic headlamp mode,
controlled by the light sensor
000C000D Low-beam/high-beam headlamps
001F0010 Rear fog lamp
If you hear a warning tone when you leave the
vehicle, the lights may still be switched on.
X Turn the light switch to 0006.
The exterior lighting (except the parking/
standing lamps) switches off automatically if
you:
R remove the SmartKey fro mthe ignition lock
R open the driver's door with the SmartKey
in position 0.
Automatic headlamp mode G
WARNING
When the light switch is set to 0006, the low-
beam headlamps may not be switched on 124
Exterior lightingLights and windshield wipers

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).Overview of climate control systems
Important safety notes
Observe the settings recommended on the
following pages. The windows could
otherwise fog up.
To preven tthe windows from fogging up:
R switch off climate control only briefly
R switch on air-recirculation mode only
briefly
R switch on the cooling with air
dehumidification function
R switch on the defrost windshield function
briefly, if required
Climate control regulates the temperature
and the humidity in the vehicle interior and
filters undesirable substances out of the air.
Climate control is only operational when the
engine is running. The system only works
optimally when the side windows and the roof
are closed.
The residual heat function can only be
activated or deactivated with the ignition
switched off (Y page 157).
i Ventilate the vehicle for a brief period
during warm weather, e.g. using the
convenience opening feature (Y page 93).
This will speed up the cooling process and
the desired vehicle interior temperature
will be reached more quickly. i
The integrated filter can filter out most
particles of dust, and completely filters out
pollen. Aclogged filter reduces the amount
of air supplied to the vehicle interior .For
this reason, you should always observe the
interval for replacing the filter, which is
specified in the Maintenance Booklet .As it
depends on environmental conditions, e.g.
heavy air pollution, the interval may be
shorter than stated in the Maintenance
Booklet.
i It is possible that the dehumidification
function of the climate control system may
be activated automatically an hour after the
SmartKey has been removed. The vehicle
is ventilated for 30 minutes. 142
Overview of climate control systemsClimate control

0021
Directs the airflow through the rear air vents
0020 Directs the airflow throug hthe footwell vents Information about using dual-zone
automatic climate control
The following contains notes and
recommendations on optimum use of dual-
zone automatic climate control.
R Activate climate control using the 0006and
0007/0005 buttons. The indicator lamps in
the 0006 and0007/0005 buttons light up.
R Set the temperature to 72 ‡ (22 †).
R Only use the "Windshield defrosting"
function briefly until the windshield is clear
again.
R Only use air-recirculation mode briefly, e.g.
if there are unpleasant outside odors or
when in a tunnel. The windows could
otherwise fog up, since no fresh air is drawn
into the vehicle in air-recirculation mode.
R Use the ZONE function to adopt the
temperature settings on the driver's side
for the front-passenger side as well. The
indicator lamp above the 0004button goes
out. Overview of climate control systems
145Climate control

001C
Increases the airflow (Y page 154)
001D Sets the temperature (Y page 153)
0023 Sets rear-compartment climate control to automatic (Y page 152)
0024 Directs the airflow through the rear air vents (Y page 154)
0025 Directs the airflow through the footwell vents (Y page 154)
0026 Switches rear-compartment climate control on/off (Y page 150)
0027 Reduces the airflow (Y page 154)Information about using 3-zone
automatic climate control
The following contains instructions and
recommendations to enable you to get the
most out of your automatic climate control.
R Activate climate control using the 0006and
0007/0005 buttons. The indicator lamps
above the 0006and0007/0005 buttons
lightu p.
R In automatic mode, you can also use the
000C button to set a climate mode
(FOCUS/MEDIUM/DIFFUSE). The
MEDIUM level is recommended.
R Set the temperature to 72 ‡ (22 †).
R Only use the "Windshield defrosting"
function briefly until the windshield is clear
again.
R Only use air-recirculation mode briefly, e.g.
if there are unpleasant outside odors or
when in a tunnel. The windows could
otherwise fog up, since no fresh air is drawn
into the vehicle in air-recirculation mode.
R Use the ZONE function to adopt the
temperature settings on the driver's side
for the front-passenger side and the rear
compartment as well. The indicator lamp
above the 0004button goes out.
R Use the residual heat function if you want
to heat or ventilate the vehicle interior
when the ignition is switched off. The
residual heat function can only be activated
or deactivated with the ignition switched
off. Operating the climate control
systems
Switching climate control on/off
Points to observe before use When the climate contro
lis switched off, the
air supply and air circulation are also
switched off. The windows could fog up.
Therefore, switch off climate control only
briefly
i Switch on climate control primarily using
the 0006 button (Y page 152).
In the rear compartment, you can also switch
climate control on and off using the 0006and
000C buttons.
Activating/deactivating X
Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the
ignition lock (Y page 163).
X To activate: press the0006button.
The indicator lamp in the 0006button lights
up. Airflow and air distribution are set to
automatic mode.
or
X Press the 000Cbutton.
The indicator lamp in the 000Cbutton goes
out. The previously selected settings are
restored.
X To deactivate: press the000Cbutton.
The indicator lamp in the 000Cbutton lights
up. 150
Operating the climate control systemsClimate control

Problems with the transmission
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0001 Solutions
The transmission has
problems shifting gear. The transmission is losing oil.
X
Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist
workshop immediately. The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer changes gear. The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into
secondgear and reverse gear.
X Stop the vehicle.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into secondgear; ifRis
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist
workshop immediately. Transfer case
! Performance tests may only be carried
out on a 2-axle dynamometer. The brake
system or transfer case could otherwise be
damaged. Contact a qualified specialist
workshop for a performance test.
! Because ESP ®
is an automatic system,
the engine and ignition must be switched
off (SmartKey in position 0or 1or Start/
Stop button in position 0or 1) when the
electric parking brake is being tested on a
brake dynamometer (maximum
10 seconds).
Braking triggered automatically by ESP ®
may seriously damage the brake system.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised,
as doing so will damage the transmission.
This section is only valid for vehicles with 4-
wheel drive (4MATIC). Power is always
transmitted to both axles. Refueling
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. If you handle fuel
incorrectly, there is a risk of fire and
explosion.
You must avoid fire, open flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Switch off the engine
and, if applicable, the auxiliary heating before
refueling. G
WARNING
Fuel is poisonous and hazardous to health.
There is a risk of injury.
You must make sure that fuel does not come
into contact with your skin, eyes or clothing
and that it is not swallowed. Do not inhale fuel
vapors. Keep fuel away from children. Refueling
177Driving and parking
Z