2014 MERCEDES-BENZ GL differential

Cornering light function
Display message............................303
Function/notes.............................133
Crash-responsive emergency
lighting...............................................137
Crosswind driving assistance............74
Cruise control
Activating ....................................... 202
Activation conditions.....................202
Cruise control lever.......................201
Deactivating ................................... 203
Display message............................317
Driving system...............................201
Function/notes.............................201
Important safety notes..................201
Storing and maintaining current
speed .............................................202
Cup holder
Center console..............................349
Important safety notes..................348
Rear compartment.........................349
Temperature controlled.................349
Third row of seats..........................350
Customer Assistance Center (CAC)...28
Customer Relations Department.......28
D
Data
see Technical data
Daytime running lamps
Display message............................305
Function/notes.............................128
Switching on/off (on-board
computer)......................................283
Declarations of conformity................. 27
DEF
Adding...........................................186
Display message............................309
Filling capacity...............................449
Important safety notes..................448
Delayed switch-off
Exterior lighting (on-board
computer)......................................284
Interior lighting..............................284
Diagnostics connection......................27
Diesel..................................................447
Differential locks (display message)311
Digital speedometer.........................276
DIRECT SELECT lever
see Automatic transmission
Display message
ASSYST PLUS................................374
Display messages
Calling up (on-board computer).....290
Driving systems.............................309
Engine ............................................ 306
General notes................................290
Hiding (on-board computer)...........290
KEYLESS-GO..................................323
Lights .............................................303
Safety systems..............................291
SmartKey.......................................323
Tires ............................................... 318
Vehicle ...........................................320
Distance recorder
see Odometer
see Trip odometer
Distance warning (warning lamp)....336
Distance warning function
Activating/deactivating.................281
Function/notes ................................ 69
Warning lamp ................................. 336
DISTRONIC PLUS
Activating ....................................... 206
Activation conditions.....................206
Cruise control lever.......................205
Deactivating ................................... 209
Display message............................315
Displays in the multifunction
display...........................................210
Driving tips....................................211
Function/notes.............................203
Important safety notes..................204
Setting the specified minimum
distance.........................................209
Warning lamp ................................. 336
Doors
Automatic locking (on-board
computer)......................................284
Automatic locking (switch) ...............88
Central locking/unlocking
(SmartKey) .......................................80
Control panel...................................40
Display message............................321
Emergency locking ........................... 88
8Index

conditions when temperatures are around
the freezing point.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (Ypage 407).
For more information on driving with summer
tires, see (Ypage 406).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Ypage 406).
Off-road driving
Important safety notes
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
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 a risk of an
accident.
Select the 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. Clean the
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 positionN
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:
ROff-road program 1 and 2 (vehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package) (Ypage 258)
RLOW RANGE off-road gear (vehicles with
the ON&OFFROAD package)
(Ypage 259)
RDifferential lock (vehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package) (Ypage 259)
ROff-road ABS (Ypage 68)
RAIRMATIC package (vehicle level)
(Ypage 217)
RDSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
(Ypage 256)
Observe the following notes:
RStop the vehicle before starting to drive
along an off-road route.
RFor 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.
RCheck that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
(Ypage 345).
Driving tips197
Driving and parking
Z

Problems with Night View Assist Plus
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andPPSolutions
The picture quality of
Night View Assist Plus
has deteriorated.
The windshield wipers are smearing the windshield.
XReplace the wiper blades (Ypage 141).
The windshield is smeared after the vehicle has been cleaned in a
car wash.
XClean the windshield (Ypage 379).
There is windshield chip damage in the camera's field of vision.
XReplace the windshield.
The windshield is fogged up on the inside.
XDefrost the windshield (Ypage 160).
The windshield is iced up.
XDe-ice the windshield (Ypage 159).
There is dirt on the inside of the windshield.
XClean the inside of the windshield (Ypage 379).
Lane Tracking package
General notes
The Lane Tracking package consists of Blind
Spot Assist (Ypage 243) and Lane Keeping
Assist (Ypage 245).
Blind Spot Assist
General notes
Blind Spot Assist uses a radar sensor system
to monitor the areas on both sides of your
vehicle. It supports you from a speed of
approximately 20 mph(30 km/h). A warning
display in the exterior mirrors draws your
attention to vehicles detected in the
monitored area. If you then switch on the
corresponding turn signal to change lanes,
you will also receive a visual and audible
collision warning. Blind Spot Assist uses
sensors in the rear bumper for monitoring
purposes.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Blind Spot Assist does not react to:
Rvehicles overtaken too closely on the side,
placing them in the blind spot area
Rvehicles which approach with a large speed
differential and overtake your vehicle
As a result, Blind Spot Assist may not give
warnings in such situations. There is a risk of
an accident.
Always observe the traffic conditions
carefully, and maintain a safe lateral distance.
Blind Spot Assist is only an aid. It may fail to
detect some vehicles and is no substitute for
attentive driving.
iUSA only:
This device has been approved by the FCC
as a "Vehicular Radar System". The radar
sensor is intended for use in an automotive
radar system only. Removing, tampering
with, or altering the device will void any
Driving systems243
Driving and parking
Z

Adaptive
WhenAdaptiveAdaptiveis selected, no warning
vibration occurs if:
Ryou switch on the turn signals. In this event,
the warnings are suppressed for a certain
period of time.
Ra driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ABS, BAS or ESP®.
Ryou accelerate hard, e.g. kickdown.
Ryou brake hard.
Ryou steer actively, e.g. swerve to avoid an
obstacle or change lanes quickly.
Ryou cut the corner on a sharp bend.
In order that you are warned only when
necessary and in good time if you cross the
lane marking, the system recognizes certain
conditions and warns you accordingly.
The warning vibration occurs earlier if:
Ryou approach the outer lane marking on a
bend.
Rthe road has very wide lanes, e.g. a
highway.
Rthe system recognizes solid lane markings.
The warning vibration occurs later if:
Rthe road has narrow lanes.
Ryou cut the corner on a bend.
Active Driving Assistance package
General notes
The Active Driving Assistance package
consists of DISTRONIC PLUS (Ypage 203),
Active Blind Spot Assist (Ypage 247) and
Active Lane Keeping Assist (Ypage 251).
Active Blind Spot Assist
General notes
Active Blind Spot Assist uses a radar sensor
system to monitor the side areas of your
vehicle which are behind the driver. A warning
display in the exterior mirrors draws your
attention to vehicles detected in the
monitored area. If you then switch on the
corresponding turn signal to change lane, you
will also receive an optical and audible
warning. If a risk of lateral collision is
detected, corrective braking may help you
avoid a collision. Active Blind Spot Assist
evaluates the free space in the direction of
travel and to the side before making a course-
correcting brake application. For this, Active
Blind Spot Assist uses radar sensors which
are pointed in the direction of travel.
Active Blind Spot Assist supports you from a
speed of approximately 20 mph (30 km/h).
Important safety notes
Active Blind Spot Assist is only an aid. It may
fail to detect some vehicles and is no
substitute for attentive driving.
GWARNING
Active Blind Spot Assist does not react to:
Rvehicles overtaken too closely on the side,
placing them in the blind spot area
Rvehicles which approach with a large speed
differential and overtake your vehicle
As a result, Active Blind Spot Assist may
neither give warnings nor intervene in such
situations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always observe the traffic conditions
carefully, and maintain a safe lateral distance.
iUSA only: This device has been approved
by the FCC as a "Vehicular Radar System".
The radar sensor is intended for use in an
automotive radar system only. Removal,
tampering, or altering of the device will void
any warranties, and is not permitted by the
FCC. Do not tamper with, alter, or use in
any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user's authority to
operate the equipment.
iCanada only: This device complies with
RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions:
Driving systems247
Driving and pa rking
Z

Ruphill or downhill gradient in percentage
Ron-road/off-road program selected
Rcondition of the differential lock for the
transfer case
Rthe LOW RANGE off-road gear is selected
Rcondition of the LOW RANGE off-road
gear
Rthe on-road trailer program is selected
Towing a trailer
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Installing an unsuitable ball coupling may
result in overloading of the trailer tow hitch
and the rear axle. This applies especially if the
ball coupling in question is longer or angled
differently. This could seriously impair the
driving characteristics and the trailer can
come loose. There is a risk of an accident.
You should only ever install a ball coupling
that has the permissible dimensions and that
is designed to meet your trailer-towing
requirements. Do not modify the ball coupling
or the trailer tow hitch.
You will find the values approved by the
manufacturer on the vehicle identification
plates and those for the towing vehicle under
"Technical data" (Ypage 457).
GWARNING
If the ball coupling is not installed correctly or
not secured with the bolt provided and the
corresponding spring cotter, the trailer may
come loose. There is a risk of an accident.
Always install and secure the ball coupling as
described. Before every journey, ensure that
the ball coupling is secured with the bolt and
the corresponding spring cotter.
GWARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the braking system can overheat. This
increases the stopping distance and can even
cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time.
GWARNING
When the vehicle/trailer combination begins
to lurch, you could lose control of it. The
vehicle/trailer combination could even
rollover. There is a risk of an accident.
On no account should you attempt to
straighten up the vehicle/trailer combination
by increasing the speed. Reduce vehicle
speed and do not countersteer. Apply the
brake as necessary.
!Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
Please observe the manufacturer's operating
instructions for the trailer coupling if a
detachable trailer coupling is used.
Couple and uncouple the trailer carefully. If
you do not couple the trailer to the towing
vehicle correctly, the trailer could become
detached.
Make sure that the following values are not
exceeded:
Rthe permissible trailer drawbar noseweight
Rthe permissible trailer load
Rthe permissible rear axle load of the towing
vehicle
Rthe maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight of both the towing vehicle and the
trailer
The applicable permissible values, which
must not be exceeded, can be found:
Rin the vehicle documents
Ron the identification plates for the trailer
tow hitch and the trailer
Ron the vehicle identification plate
If the values differ, the lowest value applies.
Towing a trailer263
Driving and pa rking
Z

!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, or the trailer tow hitch, if
available. You could otherwise damage the
vehicle.
!Do not use the towing eye for recovery,
this could damage the vehicle. If in doubt,
recover the vehicle with a crane.
!When towing, pull away slowly and
smoothly. If the tractive power is too high,
the vehicles could be damaged.
!When towing vehicles with KEYLESS-GO,
use the key instead of the Start/Stop
button. Otherwise, the automatic
transmission may shift to positionPwhen
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 (Ypage 444).
iInformation on your vehicle's gross
vehicle weight rating can be found on the
vehicle identification plate; see the printed
Operator's Manual.
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
positionNwhen the vehicle is being towed.
The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
Rcannot turn the SmartKey to position2in
the ignition lock
Rcannot release the electric parking brake
Rcannot shift the automatic transmission to
positionN
iDisarm the automatic locking feature
before the vehicle is towed (Ypage 284).
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
CFront cover
DBack cover
398Towing and tow-starting
Breakdown assistance