2015 MERCEDES-BENZ GL-Class warning

The hazard warning lamps automatically
switch on if:
R an air bag is deployed or
R the vehicle decelerates rapidly from a
speed of above 45 mph (70 km/h) and
comes to a standstill
The hazard warning lamps switch off auto-
matically if the vehicle reaches a speed of
above 6 mph (10 km/h) again after a full
brake application.
i The hazard warning lamps still operate if
the ignition is switched off. Active light function
The active light function is a system that
moves the headlamps according to the steer-
ing movements of the front wheels. In this
way, relevant areas remain illuminated while
driving. This allows you to recognize pedes-
trians, cyclists and animals.
Active: when the lights are switched on. Cornering light function
The cornering light function improves the illu-
mination of the road over a wide angle in the direction you are turning, enabling better vis-
ibility in tight bends, for example. It can only
be activated when the low-beam headlamps
are switched on.
Active:
R if you are driving at speeds below 25 mph
(40 km/h) and switch on the turn signal or
turn the steering wheel
R if you are driving at speeds between
25 mph (40 km/ h)and 45 mph (70 km/h)
and turn the steering wheel
The cornering lamp may remain lit for a short
time, but is automatically switched off after
no more than three minutes. Exterior lighting
133Lights and windshield wipers Z

Adaptive Highbeam Assist
General notes You can use this function to set the head-
lamps to change between low beam and high
beam automatically. The system recognizes
vehicles with their lights on, either approach-
ing from the opposite direction or traveling in front of your vehicle, and consequently
switches the headlamps from high beam to
low beam.
The system automatically adapts the low-
beam headlamp range depending on the dis-
tance to the other vehicle. Once the system
no longer detects any other vehicles, it reac-
tivates the high-beam headlamps.
The system's optical sensor is located behind
the windshield near the overhead control
panel.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Adaptive Highbeam Assist does not recognize road users:
R who have no lights, e.g. pedestrians
R who have poor lighting, e.g. cyclists
R whose lighting is blocked, e.g. by a barrier
In very rare cases, Adaptive Highbeam Assist
may fail to recognize other road users that have lights, or may recognize them too late. In
this or similar situations, the automatic high-
beam headlamps will not be deactivated or
activated regardless. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Always carefully observe the traffic conditions and switch off the high-beam headlamps in
good time.
Adaptive Highbeam Assist cannot take into
account road, weather or traffic conditions.
Adaptive Highbeam Assist is only an aid. You
are responsible for adjusting the vehicle's
lighting to the prevailing light, visibility and
traffic conditions.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be restricted if there is:
R poor visibility, e.g. due to fog, heavy rain or
snow
R dirt on the sensors or the sensors are
obscured
Switching Adaptive Highbeam Assist
on/off 0043
High-beam headlamps
0044 Turn signal, right
0087 High-beam flasher
0085 Turn signal, left
X To switch on: turn the light switch to 0058.
X Press the combination switch beyond the
pressure point in the direction of arrow 0043.
The 00CE indicator lamp in the multifunc-
tion display lights up when it is dark and the 134
Exterior lightingLights and windshield wipers

0083
003D To switch the right-hand front read-
ing lamp on/off
0084 To switch the automatic interior lighting
control on
X To switch the front interior lighting on:
set the switch to the 004Aposition.
X To switch the interior lighting off: set the
switch to the 0033position or (if the door is
closed) to the center position.
X To switch the rear interior lighting on/
off: press the 0042button.
X To switch the reading lamps on/off:
press the 003Dbutton. Crash-responsive emergency lighting
The interior lighting is activated automatically
if the vehicle is involved in an accident.
X To switch off the crash-responsive
emergency lighting: press the hazard
warning lamp button.
or X Lock and then unlock the vehicle using the
SmartKey. Replacing bulbs
Important safety notes
G
DANGER
Xenon bulbs carry a high voltage. You can get an electric shock if you remove the cover of
the Xenon bulb and touch the electrical con-
tacts. There is a risk of fatal injury.
Never touch the parts or the electrical con-
tacts of the Xenon bulb. Always have work on
the Xenon bulbs carried out at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
If your vehicle is equipped with Xenon bulbs,
you can recognize this by the following: the
cone of light from the Xenon bulbs moves
from the top to the bottom and back again
when you start the engine. For this to be observed, the lights must be switched on
before starting the engine. G
WARNING
Bulbs, lamps and connectors can get very hot when operating. If you change a bulb, you
could burn yourself on these components.
There is a risk of injury.
Allow these components to cool down before changing a bulb.
Do not use a bulb that has been dropped or if
its glass tube has been scratched.
The bulb may explode if:
R you touch it
R it is hot
R you drop it
R you scratch it
Only operate bulbs in enclosed lamps
designed for that purpose. Only install spare
bulbs of the same type and the specified volt- age.
Marks on the glass tube reduce the service
life of the bulbs. Do not touch the glass tube
with your bare hands. If necessary, clean the
glass tube when cold with alcohol or spirit and
rub it off with a lint-free cloth.
Protect bulbs from moisture during opera-
tion. Do not allow bulbs to come into contact
with liquids.
There are bulbs other than the Xenon bulbs
that you cannot replace. Replace only the
bulbs listed (Y page 138). Have the bulbs that
you cannot replace yourself changed at a
qualified specialist workshop.
If you require assistance changing bulbs, con- sult a qualified specialist workshop.
If the new bulb still does not light up, consult
a qualified specialist workshop.
Bulbs and lamps are an important aspect of
vehicle safety. You must therefore make sure that these function correctly at all times.
Have the headlamp setting checked regularly. Replacing bulbs
137Lights and windshield wipers Z

Switching the rear window wiper on/
off Combination switch
0043
00C5 Rear window wiper switch
0048 008E To wipe with washer fluid
0049 ITo switch on intermittent wiping
004A 0To switch off intermittent wiping
004B 00E2 To wipe with washer fluid
X Turn the SmartKey to position 1or 2in the
ignition lock (Y page 167).
X Turn switch 0043on the combination switch
to the corresponding position.
When the rear window wiper is switched on,
the icon appears in the instrument cluster. Replacing the wiper blades
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the windshield wipers begin to move while
you are changing the wiper blades, you could be trapped by the wiper arm. There is a risk of
injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
ignition before changing the wiper blades.
! Never open the hood/tailgate if a wiper
arm has been folded away from the wind-
shield/rear window.
Never fold a windshield wiper arm without a
wiper blade back onto the windshield/rear window. Hold the windshield wiper arm firmly when
you change the wiper blade. If you release
the wiper arm without a wiper blade and it
falls onto the windshield/rear window, the
windshield/rear window may be damaged
by the force of the impact.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have the wiper blades changed at a qualified
specialist workshop.
! To avoid damaging the wiper blades,
make sure that you touch only the wiper
arm of the wiper.
Changing the windshield wiper blades Removing the wiper blades
X Remove the SmartKey from the ignition
lock.
X Fold the wiper arm away from the wind-
shield. X
Firmly press release knob 0043and pull wiper
blade 0044upwards from the wiper arm in the
direction of the arrow. Windshield wipers
141Lights and windshield wipers Z

Switching on/off
X
To activate: press the004B/0056 button.
The indicator lamp in the 004B/0056but-
ton lights up.
i The blower will run at a low speed regard-
less of the airflow setting.
i If you activate the residual heat function
at high temperatures, only the ventilation
will be activated. The blower runs at
medium speed.
X To deactivate: press the004B/0056 but-
ton.
The indicator lamp in the 004B/0056but-
ton goes out.
Residual heat is deactivated automatically: R after approximately 30 minutes
R when the ignition is switched on
R if the battery voltage drops Setting the air vents
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Very hot or very cold air can flow from the air vents. This could result in burns or frostbite in the immediate vicinity of the air vents. There
is a risk of injury.
Make sure that all vehicle occupants always
maintain a sufficient distance to the air out-
lets. If necessary, redirect the airflow to
another area of the vehicle interior. In order to ensure the direct flow of fresh air
through the air vents into the vehicle interior,
please observe the following notes:
R keep the air inlet grille on the hood and in
the engine compartment on the front-
passenger side free of blockages, such as
ice, snow or leaves.
R never cover the air vents or air intake grilles
in the vehicle interior.
i For virtually draft-free ventilation, adjust
the sliders of the air vents to the center
position. Setting the center air vents
0043
Center air vent, left
0044 Center air vent, right
0087 Center vent thumbwheel, right
0085 Center vent thumbwheel, left
X To open/close: turn thumbwheels 0087
and 0085to the right or left. 162
Setting the air ventsClimate control

Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional equip- ment 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 special-
ist workshops (Y page 29). Notes on breaking-in a new vehicle
Important safety notes
The sensor system of some driving and driv-
ing safety systems adjusts automatically
while a certain distance is being driven after
the vehicle has been delivered or after
repairs. Full system effectiveness is not
reached until the end of this teach-in proce-
dure.
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after sev-
eral hundred kilometers of driving. Compen-
sate for this by applying greater force to the
brake pedal. The first 1000 miles (1500 km)
The more you look after the engine when it is
new, the more satisfied you will be with its
performance in the future.
R You should therefore drive at varying vehi-
cle and engine speeds for the first
1000 miles (1500 km).
R Avoid heavy loads, e.g. driving at full throt-
tle, during this period.
R Change gear in good time, before the tach-
ometer needle is 00C3of the way to the red
area of the tachometer. R
Do not manually shift to a lower gear to
brake the vehicle.
R Try to avoid depressing the accelerator
pedal beyond the point of resistance (kick-
down).
After 1000 miles (1500 km), you can increase
the engine speed gradually and accelerate
the vehicle to full speed.
Additional breaking-in notes for AMG vehi-
cles:
R Do not drive faster than 85 mph
(140 km/h) for the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 km).
R Only allow the engine to reach a maximum
engine speed of 4,500 rpm briefly.
R Change gear in good time.
R Ideally, for the first 1,000 miles (1,500 km),
drive in program C.
i You should also observe these notes on
breaking in if the engine or parts of the drive
train on your vehicle have been replaced.
i Always observe the respective speed lim-
its. Driving
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell can restrict the pedal travel or obstruct a depressed pedal.
The operating and road safety of the vehicle is
jeopardized. There is a risk of an accident.
Make sure that all objects in the vehicle are
stowed correctly, and that they cannot enter
the driver's footwell. Install the floormats
securely and as specified in order to ensure
sufficient clearance for the pedals. Do not use loose floormats and do not place floormats on
top of one another. 166
DrivingDriving and parking

G
WARNING
Unsuitable footwear can hinder correct usage of the pedals, e.g.:
R shoes with thick soles
R shoes with high heels
R slippers
There is a risk of an accident.
Wear suitable footwear to ensure correct
usage of the pedals. 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
If the parking brake has not been fully
released when driving, the parking brake can:
R overheat and cause a fire
R lose its hold function.
There is a risk of fire and an accident. Release
the parking brake fully before driving off.
! Warm up the engine quickly. Do not use
the engine's full performance until it has
reached operating temperature.
Only shift the automatic transmission to
the desired drive position when the vehicle
is stationary.
Where possible, avoid spinning the drive
wheels when pulling away on slippery
roads. You could otherwise damage the
drive train.
! AMG vehicles:
at low engine oil temper-
atures below 68 ‡ (+20 †), the maximum
engine speed is restricted in order to pro-
tect the engine. To protect the engine and
maintain smooth engine operation, avoid driving at full throttle when the engine is
cold. Key positions
SmartKey 005A
To remove the SmartKey
0047 Power supply for some consumers, such
as the windshield wipers
0048 Ignition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive position
0049 To start the engine
i The SmartKey can be turned in the igni-
tion lock even if it is not the correct Smart- Key for the vehicle. The ignition is not
switched on. The engine cannot be started.
KEYLESS-GO General notes
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO are equipped with
a SmartKey featuring an integrated KEYLESS- GO function and a detachable Start/Stop but-
ton.
The Start/Stop button must be inserted in the ignition lock and the SmartKey must be in the
vehicle.
When you insert the Start/Stop button into
the ignition lock, the system needs approx-
imately two seconds recognition time. You
can then use the Start/Stop button.
Pressing the Start/Stop button several times
in succession corresponds to the different
key positions in the ignition lock. This is only Driving
167Driving and parking Z

0087
Start/Stop button USA
0085 Start/Stop button Canada
Removing the Start/Stop button
You can remove the Start/Stop button from
the ignition lock and start the vehicle as nor-
mal using the SmartKey.
It is only possible to switch between KEY-
LESS-GO mode and SmartKey operation
when the transmission is in position P.
X Remove Start/Stop button 0043from ignition
lock 0044.
i You do not have to remove the Start/Stop
button from the ignition lock when you
leave the vehicle. You should, however,
always take the SmartKey with you when
leaving the vehicle. As long as the Smart-
Key is in the vehicle:
R the vehicle can be started using the
Start/Stop button
R electrically powered equipment can be
operated. 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 with-
out 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.
! Do not depress the accelerator when
starting the engine.
General notes 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. Driving
169Driving and parking Z