2013 MERCEDES-BENZ GL-Class ground clearance

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

i
For more information on driving with
snow chains, see (Y page 403).
Drive particularly carefully on slippery road
surfaces. Avoid sudde nacceleration, steering
and braking maneuvers. Do not use the cruise
control or DISTRONIC PLUS.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are
displayed afte rashort delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the
freezing point do not guarantee that the road
surface is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges. You
should pay special attention to road
conditions when temperatures are around
freezing point. Off-road driving
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you drive on a steep incline at an angle or
turn when driving on an incline, the vehicle
could slip sideways, tip and rollover. There is
a risk of an accident.
Always drive on a steep incline in the line of
fall (straight up or down) and do not turn the
vehicle. G
WARNING
If the vehicle level is high, the vehicle center
of gravity is raised. This could cause the
vehicle to tip over more easily on uphill or
downhill gradients. There is arisk of an
accident.
Selec tthe lowest possible vehicle level.
When driving off-road, sand, mud and water,
possibly mixed with oil, for example, could get
into the brakes. This could result in a reduced
braking effect or in total brake failure and also
in increased wear and tear. The braking
characteristics change depending on the material ingressing the brakes. Cleant
he
brakes after driving off-road. If you detect a
reduced braking effect or grinding noises,
have the brake system checked in a qualified
specialist workshop as soon as possible.
Adapt your driving style to the different
braking characteristics.
Driving off-road increases the likelihood of
damage to the vehicle, which, in turn, can lead
to failure of the mechanical assembly or
systems. Adapt your driving style to suit the
terrain conditions. Drive carefully. Have
damage to the vehicle rectified immediately
at a qualified specialist workshop.
Do not switch to transmission position N
when driving off-road. You could lose control
of the vehicle if you attempt to brake using
the service brake. If the gradient is too steep,
drive backwards in reverse gear.
General notes Read this section carefully before driving your
vehicle off-road. Practice by driving over more
gentle off-road terrain first.
Familiarize yourself with the characteristics
of your vehicle and the gear shift operation
before driving through difficult terrain.
The following driving systems are specially
adapted to off-road driving:
R
Off-road ABS (Y page 67)
R AIRMATIC package (vehicle level)
(Y page 212)
R DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
(Y page 250)
Observe the following notes:
R Stop the vehicle before starting to drive
along an off-road route.
R For vehicles with the AIRMATIC
package: select a vehicle level that is
suitable for the off-road terrain. To avoid
damaging the vehicle, make sure there is
always sufficient ground clearance.
R Check that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
(Y page 341). Driving tips
191Driving and parking Z

X
Chec kwhether twigs or other parts of
plants have become trapped. These
increase the risk of fire and can damage
fuel pipes, brake hoses or the rubber
bellows of the axle joints and propeller
shafts.
X After the trip, examine without fail the
entire undercarriage, wheels, tires, brakes,
bodywork structure, steering, chassis and
exhaust system for damage.
X After driving for extended periods across
sand, mud, gravel, water or in similarly dirty
conditions, have the brake discs, wheels,
brake pads/linings and axle joints checked
and cleaned.
X If you detect strong vibrations after off-road
travel, check for foreign objects in the
wheels and drive train and remove them if
necessary. Foreign objects can disturb the
balance and cause vibrations.
Driving over rough terrain places greater
demands on your vehicle than driving on
normal roads. After driving off-road, check
the vehicle. This allows you to detect damage
promptly and reduce the risk of an accident
to yourself and other road users.
Driving on sand Observe the following rules when driving on
sand:
R vehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
select a raised vehicle level.
R avoid high engine speeds.
R select a shift range appropriate to the
terrain.
R drive quickly to overcome the rolling
resistance. Otherwise the vehicle's wheels
could become stuck in loose ground.
R drive in the tracks of other vehicles if
possible. Make sure that:
-the tire ruts are not too deep.
- the sand is sufficiently firm.
- the ground clearance of the vehicle is
sufficient. Tire ruts and gravel roads !
Check that the ruts are not too deep and
that your vehicle has sufficient clearance.
Otherwise, your vehicle could be damaged
or bottom out and get stuck.
Observe the following rules when driving
along ruts in off-road terrain or on roads with
loose gravel:
R vehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
select a raised vehicle level.
R avoid high engine speeds.
R select shift range 1.
R drive slowly.
R where ruts are too deep, drive with the
wheels of one side on the center grassy
area, if possible.
Driving over obstacles !
Obstacles could damage the floor of the
vehicle or components of the chassis. Ask
passengers for guidance when driving over
large obstacles. The passenger should
always keep a safe distance from the
vehicle when doing so in order to avoid
injury as a result of unexpected vehicle
movements. After driving off-road or over
obstacles, check the vehicle for possible
damage, especially to the underbody and
the components of the chassis. Observe the following rules when driving over
tree stumps, large stones and other
obstacles:
R
Raise the vehicle level.
R Avoid high engine speeds. Driving tips
193Driving and parking Z

G
WARNING
When you drive with the chassis lowered or
raised, the vehicle's braking and driving
characteristics can be significantly impaired.
You could also exceed the permissible vehicle
height if the chassis is raised. There is a risk
of an accident.
Adjust the vehicle level before pulling away. G
WARNING
Due to the high center of gravity, the vehicle
may start to skid and roll over in the event of
an abrupt steering maneuver and/or when
the vehicle's speed is not adapted to the road
conditions. There is a risk of an accident.
Always adapt yours peed and driving style to
the vehicle's driving characteristics and to the
prevailing road and weather conditions.
! When driving on extremely rough terrain,
select a high vehicle level in good time.
Make sure there is always sufficien tground
clearance. You will otherwise damage the
vehicle.
R 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.
R In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is
significantly more likely to die than a
person wearing a seat belt.
You and all vehicle occupants should
always weary our seat belts.
Level control adapts the vehicle level
automatically to the current operating and
driving situation. This results in reduced fuel
consumption and improved handling.
Make changes to the vehicle level while the
vehicle is in motion .This enables the vehicle
to adjust to the new level as quickly as
possible.
The vehicle level may change visibly if you
park the vehicle and the outside temperature
changes. If the temperature drops, the vehicle level is lower; with an increase in
temperature, the vehicle level rises.
If you unlock the vehicle or open a door, the
vehicle begins to compensate for load
discrepancies while still parked. However, for
significant level changes, such as after the
vehicle has been stationary for a long period,
the engine must be on. For safety reasons,
the vehicle is only lowered when the doors are
closed. Lowering is interrupted if a door is
opened, and it continues once the door has
been closed.
For information about driving off-road, see
(Y
page 191).
Basic settings The extentt
o which the vehicle is raised or
lowered depends on the basic setting
selected.
Select:
R highway/high-speed level for driving on
normal roads
R off-road level 1for driving on easily
negotiable off-road terrain
R off-road level 2 for driving on normal off-
road terrain
R off-road level 3for freeing the vehicle in
particularly rough terrain at low speeds
only
The individual vehicle levels differ from
highway level as follows:
R highway level: +/–0 in (+/–0 mm)
R high-speed level: –0.6 in (–15 mm)
R off-road level 1: + 1.2 in (+30 mm)
R off-road level 2: + 2.3 in (+60 mm)
R off-road level 3: + 3.6 in (+ 90 mm)
Highway/high-speed level !
Make sure that there is enough ground
clearance when the vehicle is being
lowered. It could otherwise hit the ground,
damaging the underbody. 208
Driving systemsDriving and parking

the vehicle's speed is not adapted to the road
conditions. There is a risk of an accident.
Always adap tyour speed and driving style to
the vehicle's driving characteristics and to the
prevailing road and weather conditions.
! When driving on extremely rough terrain,
select a high vehicle level in good time.
Make sure there is always sufficient ground
clearance. You will otherwise damage the
vehicle.
! When you raise the vehicle in such a way
that not all wheels have contact with the
ground, remove the SmartKey from the
ignition lock.
R 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.
R In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is
significantly more likely to die than a
person wearing a seat belt.
You and all vehicle occupant sshould
always wear your seat belts.
General notes
Further information about "Driving off-road"
(Y page 191).
Level control adapts the vehicle level
automatically to the current operating and
driving situation. This results in reduced fuel
consumption and improved handling.
If you select ADS comfort mode
(Y page 212), the vehicle is lowered to high-
speed level as the speed increases. As the
vehicle speed decreases, the vehicle is raised
back up to highway level.
If you select ADS sport mode (Y page 212),
the vehicle skips highway level and lowers
directly to high-speed level depending on the
basic setting (Y page 214).
Make changes to the vehicle level while the
vehicle is in motion. This enables the vehicle
to adjust to the new level as quickly as
possible. The vehicle level may change visibly if you
park the vehicle and the outside temperature
changes. If the temperature drops, the
vehicle level is lower; with an increase in
temperature, the vehicle level rises.
If you unlock the vehicle or open a door, the
vehicle begins to compensate for load
discrepancies while still parked. However, for
significant level changes, such as after the
vehicle has been stationary for a long period,
the engine must be on. For safety reasons,
the vehicle is only lowered when the doors are
closed. Lowering is interrupted if a door is
opened, and it continues once the door has
been closed.
Basic settings (excluding AMG vehicles)
The extentt
o which the vehicle is raised or
lowered depends on the basic setting
selected. Select raised level for off-road
driving or highway/high-speed level for
normal roads.
The individual vehicle levels differ from
highway level as follows:
R highway level: +/–0 in (+/–0 mm)
R high-speed level: –0.6 in (–15 mm)
R raised level: +2.3 in (+60 mm)
Basic settings for AMG vehicles
The extentt o which the vehicle is raised or
lowered depends on the AMG adaptive sport
suspension setting selected. Select the
raised level for off-road driving or highway/
high-speed level for normal roads.
The raised level corresponds to a vehicle
position raised by 50 mm compared with
highway level in comfor tmode. 214
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Raised level
Only select raised level if this is appropriate
for the road conditions
.Otherwise, fuel
consumption may increase and handling may
be affected.
X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp 0003is not lit:
X Press button 0002.
Indicator lamp 0003flashes. The vehicle rises
to raised level. During the adjustment, the
Raisingmessage, for example, appears in the
multifunctio ndisplay.
If you press the 0007or000B button on the
multifunction steering wheel, the message
will disappear.
Once the vehicle has reached raised level,
indicator lamp 0003remains lit. The Raising message disappears fro
mthe multifunction
display.
If you try to select raised level at a speed
above 40 mph (64 km/h), the Drive More Slowly message appears in the multifunction
display.
Highway/high-speed level
! Make sure that there is enough ground
clearance when the vehicle is being
lowered. It could otherwise hit the ground,
damaging the underbody. 0002
Level control button
0003 Level control indicator lamp
X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp 0003is lit:
X Press button 0002.
Indicator lamp 0003flashes. The vehicle is
adjusting to highway/high-speed level. During the adjustment, the
Lowering message, for example, appears in the
multifunction display.
If you press the
0007or000B button on the
multifunction steering wheel, the message
will disappear.
Once highway level has been reached,
indicator lamp 0003goes out. The Lowering Driving systems
215Driving and parking Z

message disappears from the multifunction
display.
The vehicle automatically adjusts to highway
level when you:
R drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h)
R drive between 40 mph (64 km/h) and
50 mph (80 km/h) for approximately
20 seconds
Depending on the ADS mode selected
(Y page 212), the vehicle is lowered to high-
speed level at high speeds. AMG adaptive sport suspension
system
Important safety notes G
WARNING
When the vehicle is being lowered, people
could become trapped if their limbs are
betwee nthe vehicle body and the wheels or
underneath the vehicle. There is a risk of
injury.
Make sure no one is underneath the vehicle
or in the immediate vicinity of the wheel
arches when the vehicle is being lowered. G
WARNING
The vehicle is lowered if:
R you have selected the Comfort or Sport
suspension tuning and
R lock the vehicle after switching off the
engine
Persons in the vicinity of the wheel arch or the
underbody may thus become trapped. There
is a risk of injury.
Make sure that nobody is in the vicinity of the
wheel arch or the underbody when you switch
off the engine. !
The vehicle is lowered by approximately
10 mm if:
R you have selected the Sport or Comfort
suspension tuning and
R you switch off the engine and then
R lock the vehicle
When parking, position your vehicle so that
it does not make contact with the curb as
the vehicle is lowered. Your vehicle could
otherwise be damaged.
Vehicle level Level control adapts the vehicle level
automatically to the current operating and
driving situation. Level control ensures the
best possible suspension and constant
ground clearance, even with a laden vehicle.
This improves driving safety and fuel
consumption.
The AIRMATIC package and ACTIVE CURVE
SYSTEM are always components of AMG
adaptive suspension system (Y
page 212).
Due to the sportier suspension settings
compared to standard vehicles, the levels and
speed thresholds for sinking and raising the
vehicle are different.
In Comfort and Sport driving modes, after
locking the vehicle it lowers to the Sport+
level. When locking the vehicle at the raised
level, the vehicle does not lower.
The settings will remain stored after you
switch off the engine. When starting the
engine, the selected setting, e.g. AMG
adaptive suspension system Comfort, is
restored.
i The vehicle level may change visibly if you
park the vehicle and the outside
temperature changes. If the temperature
drops, the vehicle level lowers; with an
increase in temperature, the vehicle level
rises. 216
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
0001 Solutions
0002
Compressor Is
Cooling You have selected a higher vehicle level. The compressor first
needs to cool down because of frequen
tlevel changes.
X Drive in a manner appropriate for the current vehicle level.
X Make sure that there is sufficien tground clearance.
X Allow the compresso rto cool down.
When the compressor has cooled down, the display message
disappears. The vehicle then continues rising to the selected
level. 0002
Malfunction AIRMATIC is malfunctioning.
X
Drive in a manner appropriate for the current vehicle level, but
no faster than 50 mph (80 km/h).
X Make sure that there is sufficient ground clearance.
X Have the vehicle checked at a qualified specialist workshop. 0002
Max. Speed 12 mph You are exceeding the speed permissible for the selected off-road
level.
In addition, the vehicle level display appears between the vehicle
icon and the display message, and a warning tone sounds.
G WARNING
The vehicle could tip and rollover.
There is a risk of an accident.
X Adjust your driving style to the altered handling characteristics.
X Only make slight steering movements and avoid fast steering
movements.
X Do not drive faster than 12 mph (20 km/h) until off-road level 2
has been reached. ACTIVE CURVE
SYSTEM
Malfunctioning The Active Curve Syste
mis faulty. The vehicle's handling
characteristics may be affected.
X Do not drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h).
X Have the vehicle checked at a qualified specialist workshop. Display messages
307On-board computer and displays Z