2014 MERCEDES-BENZ GL-Class cooling

Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Á
Drive More Slowly Drive More Slowly You cannot change the vehicle level. Possible causes are:
R
you are driving too fast for the selected vehicle level.
R you are towing a trailer.
R the trailer-coupling socket is being used, e.g. for a bicycle rack.
X Drive more slowly and then select the desired vehicle level
again.
R
Vehicles with the ON&OFFROAD package (Y page 212)
R Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package (Y page 218)
X Observe the notes on towing a trailer (Y page 264).Á
Compressor Is Compressor Is
Cooling Cooling You have selected a higher vehicle level. The compressor first
needs to cool down because of frequent level changes.
X
Drive in a manner appropriate for the current vehicle level.
X Make sure that there is sufficient ground clearance.
X Allow the compressor to cool down.
When the compressor has cooled down, the display message
disappears. The vehicle then continues rising to the selected
level. Á
Malfunction Malfunction AIRMATIC is malfunctioning.
X
Drive as appropriate for the current vehicle level, but do not
exceed 50 mph (80 km/h).
X Make sure that there is sufficient ground clearance.
X Have the vehicle checked at a qualified specialist workshop. Á
Max. Speed 12 mph 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 exceed 12 mph (20 km/h) until the vehicle has reached
off-road level 2. 310
Display messagesOn-board computer and displays

Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions ACTIVE CURVE
ACTIVE CURVE
SYSTEM Malfunction SYSTEM Malfunction The Active Curve System is faulty. The vehicle's handling
characteristics may be affected.
X
Do not drive at speeds above 50 mph (80 km/h).
X Have the vehicle checked at a qualified specialist workshop. ACTIVE CURVE ACTIVE CURVE
SYSTEM SYSTEM
Malfunction
Malfunction
see Operator's
see Operator's
Manual Manual The Active Curve System is faulty. The vehicle's handling
characteristics are severely impaired. A warning tone also sounds.
G WARNING
There is a risk of an accident.
X Drive on carefully.
X Adjust your driving style to the altered handling characteristics.
X Avoid sudden acceleration in tight bends and fast steering
movements.
X Do not drive at speeds above 50 mph (80 km/h).
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop immediately. Á
Raising Raising
Max.
Max.Speed
Speed
12 mph
12 mph The vehicle is being adjusted to off-road level 3. The display
message informs you of the maximum speed permissible for off-
road level 3.
X
Do not drive at speeds above 12 mph (20 km/h). g
Lowering Lowering
Max.
Max.
Speed 12 mph
Speed 12 mph The vehicle is being lowered from off-road level 3 to off-road level
2. The display message informs you of the maximum speed
permissible for off-road level 3.
X
Do not exceed 12 mph (20 km/h) until the vehicle has reached
off-road level 2. 8
Different. Lock Different. Lock
Sys. Malfunction Sys. Malfunction The differential lock is malfunctioning.
X
Do not drive at speeds above 50 mph (80 km/h).
X Have the vehicle checked at a qualified specialist workshop. 8
Different. Different.
Locking
Locking
Sys. Cooling Down
Sys. Cooling Down
Please Wait Please Wait The differential lock is too hot and has been disengaged.
X
Drive on carefully.
X Allow the differential lock to cool down.
The differential lock reengages as soon as it has cooled down. Display messages
311On-board computer and displays Z

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions ?
The red coolant
warning lamp comes on
while the engine is
running.
The coolant level is too low.
!
Avoid making long journeys with too little coolant in the engine
cooling system. The engine will otherwise be damaged.
If the coolant level is correct, the airflow to the engine radiator
may be blocked or the electric engine radiator fan may be
malfunctioning.
The coolant is too hot and the engine is no longer being cooled
sufficiently.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display.
X Pull over and stop the vehicle safely and switch off the engine,
paying attention to road and traffic conditions.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away (Y page 188).
X Leave the vehicle and keep a safe distance from the vehicle until
the engine has cooled down.
X Check the coolant level and add coolant, observing the warning
notes (Y page 373).
X If you need to add coolant more often than usual, have the
engine coolant system checked.
X Make sure that the air supply to the engine radiator is not
blocked, e.g. by snow, slush or ice.
X Do not start the engine again until the coolant temperature is
below 248 ‡(120 †). Otherwise, the engine could be damaged.
X Drive to the nearest qualified specialist workshop.
X Avoid subjecting the engine to heavy loads, e.g. driving in
mountainous terrain, and stop-and-go traffic. ?
The red coolant
warning lamp comes on
while the engine is
running. A warning tone
also sounds.
The coolant temperature has exceeded 248 ‡ (120 †). The
airflow to the engine radiator may be blocked or the coolant level
may be too low.
G WARNING
The engine is not being cooled sufficiently and may be damaged.
Do not drive when your engine is overheated. This can cause some
fluids which may have leaked into the engine compartment to
catch fire.
Steam from the overheated engine can also cause serious burns
which can occur just by opening the hood.
There is a risk of injury. Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
335On-board computer and displays Z

R
Always stow objects so that they cannot be
thrown around in such situations.
R Always make sure that objects do not
protrude from stowage spaces, parcel nets
or stowage nets.
R Close the lockable stowage spaces while
driving.
R Stow and secure objects that are heavy,
hard, pointy, sharp-edged, fragile or too
large in the cargo compartment.
! Only use the cup holders for containers of
the right size and which have lids. The
drinks could otherwise spill.
The stowage compartments in the doors
provide space for bottles with a capacity of
up to 34 fl. oz. (1.0 l).
The bottles are not secured or prevented from
tipping over. Therefore, do not place any open
drink containers in the stowage
compartments.
Cup holder in the front-compartment
center console :
Cup holder
; Cover
X To open: slide cover ;to its foremost
position.
X To close: pull cover ;back as far as it will
go.
You can remove the cup holder's rubber mat
for cleaning. Clean with clear, lukewarm
water only. Temperature-controlled cup holder in
the front-compartment center console
:
Cup holder
; Residual heat indicator lamp
= Switch
The temperature-controlled cup holder can
be used to keep cold drinks cool and warm
drinks warm.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the
ignition lock.
X To switch on the cooling function: press
and hold button =until the blue indicator
lamp on the button lights up.
X To switch on the heating function: press
and hold button =until the red indicator
lamp on the button lights up.
X To switch off the function: press and hold
button =until the indicator lamp on the
button goes out.
When the heating function is used, the metal
insert of the cup holder is heated. Once a
certain temperature is reached, residual heat
indicator lamp ;lights up. This means that
the metal insert of the cup holder is hot. For
this reason, you must not reach into the cup
holder metal insert.
Do not use hard or sharp objects to clean the
cup holder. Use only a soft cloth to clean it.
Cup holder in the rear seat armrest !
Do not sit on or support your body weight
on the rear seat armrest when it is folded
down, as you could otherwise damage it. Features
349Stowage an d features Z

Problems with the 115 V power socket
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The warning lamp on
the 115 V power socket
is not lit. The on-board voltage is too low because the battery is too weak.
X
Start the engine.
or
X Charge the battery (Y page 394).
If the indicator lamp still does not light up:
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. The temperature of the DC/AC converter is temporarily too high.
X
Remove the electronic device connector from the 115 V socket.
X Let the DC/AC converter cool down.
If the indicator lamp still does not light up after cooling down the
converter:
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. You have connected an electronic device that has a constant
nominal power of less than 150 watts, but a very high switch-on
current. This device will not work. If you connect such a device,
the 115 V power socket will not supply it with power.
X
Connect a suitable device. mbrace
General notes You must have a license agreement to
activate the mbrace service. Make sure that
your system is activated and operational. To
log in, press the ïMB Info call button. If
any of the steps mentioned are not carried
out, the system may not be activated.
If you have questions about the activation,
contact one of the following telephone
hotlines:
R USA: Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance
Center at
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (1-800-367-6372)
or 1-866-990-9007
R Canada: Customer Service at
1-888-923-8367 Shortly after successfully registering with the
service, a user ID and password will be sent
to you by post.
USA only: you can use this password to log
onto the mbrace area under "Owners Online"
at
http://www.mbusa.com.
The system is available if:
R it has been activated and is operational
R the corresponding mobile phone network
is available for transmitting data to the
Customer Center
R a service subscription is available
R the starter battery is sufficiently charged
i Determining the location of the vehicle on
a map is only possible if:
R GPS reception is available.
R the vehicle position can be forwarded to
the Customer Assistance Center. Features
355Stowage and features Z

Example: engine oil cap
X
Turn cap :counter-clockwise and remove
it.
X Add engine oil.
If the oil level is at or below the MIN mark
on the oil dipstick, add 1.1 US qt (1.0 l) of
engine oil.
X Replace cap :on the filler neck and turn
clockwise.
Ensure that the cap locks into place
securely.
X Check the oil level again with the oil
dipstick (Y page 371).
Further information on engine oil
(Y page 449). Additional service products
Checking coolant level G
WARNING
Certain components in the engine
compartment, such as the engine, radiator
and parts of the exhaust system, can become
very hot. Working in the engine compartment
poses a risk of injury.
Where possible, let the engine cool down and
touch only the components described in the
following. G
WARNING
The engine cooling system is pressurized,
particularly when the engine is warm. When opening the cap, you could be scalded by hot
coolant spraying out. There is a risk of injury.
Let the engine cool down before opening the
cap. Wear eye and hand protection when
opening the cap. Open the cap slowly half a
turn to allow pressure to escape.
X
Park the vehicle on a level surface.
Only check the coolant level when the
vehicle is on a level surface and the engine
has cooled down.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the
ignition lock (Y page 167).
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, press the
Start/Stop button twice (Y page 167).
X Check the coolant temperature gauge in
the multifunction display.
The coolant temperature must be below
158 ‡ (70 †).
X Turn the SmartKey to position
0(Y page 167) in the ignition lock.
X Slowly turn cap :half a turn counter-
clockwise to allow excess pressure to
escape.
X Turn cap :further counter-clockwise and
remove it.
If the coolant is at the level of marker bar
= in the filler neck when cold, there is
enough coolant in coolant expansion
tank ;.
If the coolant level is approximately 0.6 in
(1.5 cm) above marker bar =in the filler
neck when warm, there is enough coolant
in expansion tank ;. Engine compartment
373Maintenance and care Z

Further information on coolants can be
found in the Mercedes-Benz Specifications
for Service Products, MB Specifications for
Service Products 310.1, e.g. on the
Internet at
http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com. Or
contact a qualified specialist workshop.
! Always use a suitable coolant mixture,
even in countries where high temperatures
prevail.
Otherwise, the engine cooling system is not
sufficiently protected from corrosion and
overheating.
i Have the coolant regularly replaced at a
qualified specialist workshop and the
replacement confirmed in the Maintenance
Booklet.
Comply with the important safety precautions
for service products when handling coolant
(Y page 445).
The coolant is a mixture of water and
antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor. It performs
the following tasks:
R corrosion protection
R antifreeze protection
R raising the boiling point
If the coolant has antifreeze protection down
to -35 ‡ (-37 †),the boiling point of the
coolant during operation is approximately
266 ‡ (130 †).
The an tifreeze/corrosion inhibitor
concentration in the engine cooling system
should:
R be at least 50%. This will protect the engine
cooling system against freezing down to
approximately -35 ‡ (-37 †).
R no t exceed 55% (antifreeze protection
down to -49 ‡ [-45 †]). Otherwise, heat
will no t be dissipated as effectively.
Mercedes-Benz recommends an antifreeze/
corrosion inhibitor concentrate in
accordance with
MB Specifications for Service Products 310.1. i
When the vehicle is first delivered, it is
filled with a coolant mixture that ensures
adequate antifreeze and corrosion
protection.
i The coolant is checked with every
maintenance interval at a qualified
specialist workshop.
Filling capacities Model Capacity
GL 450 4MATIC
GL 550 4MATIC
Approx. 11.6 US qt
(11.0 l) GL 350 BlueTEC 4
MATIC
Approx. 12.2 US qt
(11.5 l) AMG vehicles
Approx. 13.1 US qt
(12.4 l) i
Use MB 325.0 or MB 326.0 corrosion
inhibitor/antifreeze. Windshield washer system
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Windshield washer concentrate is highly
flammable. If it comes into contact with hot
engine components or the exhaust system it
could ignite. There is a risk of fire and injury.
Make sure that no windshield washer
concentrate is spilled next to the filler neck.
! Do not add distilled or de-ionized water to
the washer fluid container. Otherwise, the
level sensor may be damaged.
! Only MB SummerFit and MB WinterFit
washer fluid should be mixed together. The
spray nozzles may otherwise become
blocked.
When handling washer fluid, observe the
important safety notes on service products
(Y page 445). Service products and filling capacities
451Technical data Z

Trailer tow hitch
Mounting dimensions
! If you have a trailer tow hitch retrofitted,
changes to the cooling system and drive
train may be necessary, depending on the
vehicle type.
If you have a trailer tow hitch retrofitted,
observe the anchorage points on the
chassis frame. Anchorage points for the trailer tow hitch
(example)
: Anchorage points
; Rear axle center line 456
Trailer tow hitchTechnical data