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 plan to 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
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 your speed and driving style to
the vehicle's driving characteristics and to the
prevailing road and weather conditions.
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.
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
wear your seat belts. Operating safety
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you do not have the prescribed service/
maintenance work or any required repairs
carried out, this can result in malfunctions or
system failures. There is a risk of an accident.
Always have the prescribed service/
maintenance work as well as any required
repairs carried out at a qualified specialist
workshop. 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
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with 26
Introduction
Start/Stop button
=
USA only
? Canada only 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 shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
R Start 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.
G
WARNING
Flammable materials introduced through
environmental influence or by animals can
ignite if in contact with the exhaust system or
parts of the engine that heat up. There is a risk
of fire.
Carry out regular checks to make sure that
there are no flammable foreign materials in
the engine compartment or in the exhaust
system.
i Vehicles with a gasoline engine: the
catalytic converter is preheated for up
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 173).
The transmission position display in the
multifunction display shows P
(Y page 173).
i You can also start the engine when the
transmission is in position N.
Starting procedure with the SmartKey X
To start a gasoline engine: turn the
SmartKey to position 3in the ignition lock
(Y page 167) and release it as soon as the
engine is running.
X To start a diesel engine: turn the
SmartKey to position 2in the ignition lock
(Y page 167).
The % preglow indicator lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X When the %preglow indicator lamp
goes out, turn the SmartKey to position 3
(Y page 167) and release it as soon as the
engine is running.
i You can start the engine without preglow
if the engine is warm. Driving
169Driving and parking Z
Using KEYLESS-GO to start the engine
X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X To start a gasoline engine: press the
Start/Stop button (Y page 167) once.
The engine starts.
X To start a diesel engine: press the Start/
Stop button (Y page 167) once.
Preglow is activated and the engine starts.
i The Start/Stop button can be used to
start the 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.
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 173).
X Release the brake pedal.
X Carefully depress the accelerator pedal.
The electric parking brake (Y page 189) is
automatically released.
The red F(USA only) or !(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 284).
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 :.
The electric parking brake continues to
brake and prevent the vehicle from rolling
backwards.
The red F(USA only) or !(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 :.
The electric parking brake is released. 170
DrivingDriving and parking
Problems with the engine
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The engine does not
start. The starter motor
can be heard. R
There is a malfunction in the engine electronics.
R There is a malfunction in the fuel supply.
X Try to start the engine again (Y page 169). Avoid excessively
long and frequent attempts to start the engine as these will drain
the battery.
If the engine does not start after several attempts:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine does not
start. You cannot hear
the starter motor. The on-board voltage is too low because the battery is too weak
or discharged.
X
Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 395).
If the engine does not start despite attempts to jump-start it:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The starter motor was exposed to a thermal load that was too high.
X
Allow the starter motor to cool down for approximately two
minutes.
X Try to start the engine again.
If the engine still does not start:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine is not
running smoothly and
is misfiring. There is a malfunction in the engine electronics or in a mechanical
component of the engine management system.
X
Only depress the accelerator pedal slightly.
X Have the cause rectified immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic
converter and damage it. The coolant
temperature gauge
shows a value above
248 ‡ (120 †). The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine
is no longer being cooled sufficiently.
X Stop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant
to cool down.
X Check the coolant level (Y page 373). Observe the warning
notes as you do so and add coolant if necessary. 172
DrivingDriving and parking
Example: vehicles with a gasoline engine
Example: vehicles with a diesel engine
X
Pull oil dipstick :out of the dipstick guide
tube.
X Wipe off oil dipstick :.
X Slowly slide oil dipstick :into the guide
tube to the stop, and take it out again.
If the level is between MIN mark =and
MAX mark ;, the oil level is correct.
X If the oil level has dropped to MIN mark
= or below, add 1.1 US qt (1.0 liter) engine
oil.
Adding engine oil 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
If engine oil comes into contact with hot
components in the engine compartment, it
may ignite. There is a risk of fire and injury.
Make sure that engine oil is not spilled next
to the filler neck. Let the engine cool down
and thoroughly clean the engine oil off the
components before starting the engine. H
Environmental note
When adding oil, take care not to spill any. If
oil enters the soil or waterways, it is harmful
to the environment.
! Only use engine oils and oil filters that
have been approved for vehicles with a
service system. You can obtain a list of the
engine oils and oil filters tested and
approved in accordance with the
Mercedes-Benz Specifications for Service
Products at any Mercedes-Benz Service
center.
Damage to the engine or exhaust system is
caused by the following:
R using engine oils and oil filters that have
not been specifically approved for the
service system
R replacing engine oil and oil filters after
the interval for replacement specified by
the service system has been exceeded
R using engine oil additives.
! Do not add too much oil. adding too much
engine oil can result in damage to the
engine or to the catalytic converter. Have
excess engine oil siphoned off. 372
Engine compartmentMaintenance and care
Jump-starting
For the jump-starting procedure, use only the jump-starting connection point, consisting of a
positive terminal and a ground 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
A discharged 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.
! Vehicles with a gasoline engine: avoid repeated and lengthy starting attempts.
Otherwise, the catalytic converter could be damaged by non-combusted fuel.
If, at low temperatures, the indicator lamps/warning lamps in the instrument cluster do not
light up, it is highly likely that the discharged battery has frozen. In this case you may neither
jump-start the vehicle nor charge the battery. The service life of a thawed-out battery may be
shorter. The starting characteristics can be impaired, particularly at low temperatures. Have
the thawed-out battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop. Jump-starting
395Breakdown assistance Z
Additives
!
Only use DEF in accordance with ISO
22241. Do not use additives with DEF and
do not dilute DEF with water. This may
destroy the BlueTEC exhaust gas
aftertreatment system.
Purity !
Impurities in DEF (e.g. due to other
service products, cleaning agents or dust)
lead to:
R increased emission values
R damage to the catalytic converter
R engine damage
R malfunctions in the BlueTEC exhaust gas
aftertreatment system
Assuring the purity of DEF is particularly
important with respect to avoiding
malfunctions in the BlueTEC exhaust gas
aftertreatment system.
If DEF is pumped out of the DEF tank, e.g.
during repair work, it must not be returned to
the tank. The purity of the fluid can no longer
be guaranteed.
Filling capacities Model Total capacity
GL 350 BlueTEC 4MATI
C
8.2 US gal
(31.2 l) Engine oil
General notes !
Never use engine oil or an oil filter of a
specification other than is necessary to
fulfill the prescribed service intervals. Do
not change the engine oil or oil filter in
order to achieve longer replacement
intervals than those prescribed. You could
otherwise cause engine damage or damage
to the exhaust gas aftertreatment. Follow the instructions in the service
interval display regarding the oil change.
Otherwise, you may damage the engine and
the exhaust gas aftertreatment.
When handling engine oil, observe the
important safety notes on service products
(Y page 445).
The engine oils are matched to the
performance of Mercedes-Benz engines and
service intervals. You should therefore only
use engine oils and oil filters that are
approved for vehicles with maintenance
systems.
For a list of approved engine oils and oil filters,
consult an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. Or visit the website
http://bevo.mercedes-benz.co m.
The table shows which engine oils have been
approved for your vehicle. Model Engine
model MB
Approval GL 450 4MATIC
GL 550 4MATIC
278 229.5
AMG vehicles
157 229.5
GL 350 BlueTEC
4MATIC
642 228.51,
229.31,
229.51 i
MB approval is indicated on the oil
containers.
Filling capacities The following values refer to an oil change
including the oil filter.Service products and filling capacities
449Technical data Z