2016 MERCEDES-BENZ GL-Class warning

Rsolvents
Rcleaning agents containing solvents
Do not scrub.
Do not touch the surfaces or protective
films with hard objects, e.g. a ring or ice
scraper. You could otherwise scratch or
damage the surfaces and protective film.
!Do not park the vehicle for an extended
period straight after cleaning it, particularly
after having cleaned the wheels with wheel
cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
increased corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. For this reason, you
should drive for a few minutes after clean-
ing. Braking heats the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings, thus drying them. The
vehicle can then be parked.
Regular care of your vehicle is a condition for
retaining the quality in the long term.
Use care products and cleaning agents rec-
ommended and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Washing the vehicle and cleaning the
paintwork
Automatic car wash
GWARNING
Braking efficiency is reduced after washing
the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
After the vehicle has been washed, brake
carefully while paying attention to the traffic
conditions until full braking power is restored.
!Before driving into an automatic car wash,
make sure that it is suitable for the dimen-
sions of the vehicle. In particular, make
sure that:
Rthere is enough ground clearance
between the vehicle underbody and the
guide rails of the automatic car wash.
Rthe clearance width of the automatic car
wash is sufficient, particularly the width
of the guide rails.
Ryou enter the automatic car wash
straight and in the center of the guide
rails in order to avoid damaging the tires or wheel rims.
Fold in the exterior mirrors before the vehi-
cle is washed. The exterior mirrors could
otherwise be damaged.
!If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes automati-
cally in certain situations.
To prevent damage to the vehicle, deacti-
vate DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD func-
tion in the following or other similar situa-
tions:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin the car wash
!Never clean your vehicle in a Touchless
Automatic Car Wash as these use special
cleaning agents. These cleaning agents can
damage the paintwork or plastic parts.
!Make sure that:
Rthe side windows and the sliding sunroof are fully closed.
Rthe ventilation/heating is switched off
(the OFF button has been pressed).
Rthe windshield wiper switch is in position
0.
Otherwise, the vehicle might be damaged.
!In car washes with a towing mechanism,
make sure that the automatic transmission
is in transmission position N, otherwise the
vehicle could be damaged.
RVehicles with a SmartKey:
376Care
Maintenance and care

Do not remove the SmartKey from the
ignition lock. Do not open the driver's
door or front-passenger door when the
engine is switched off. Otherwise, the
automatic transmission selects park
positionPautomatically and locks the
wheels. You can prevent this by shifting
the automatic transmission to Nbefore-
hand.
RVehicles with KEYLESS-GO:
Do not open the driver's door or front-
passenger door when the engine is
switched off. Otherwise, the automatic
transmission selects park position P
automatically and locks the wheels.
Observe the following to make sure that the
automatic transmission stays in position N:
XMake sure the vehicle is stationary and the
ignition is switched off.
XTurn the SmartKey to position2in the igni-
tion lock (
Ypage 165).
Use the SmartKey instead of the Start/
Stop button on vehicles with KEYLESS-GO.
XDepress and hold the brake pedal.
XShift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
XRelease the brake pedal.
XRelease the electric parking brake.
XSwitch off the ignition and leave the Smart-
Key in the ignition lock.
You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the very start.
If the vehicle is ver y d
irty, pre-wash it before
cleaning it in an automatic car wash.
After using an automatic car wash, wipe off
wax from the windshield and the wiper
blades. This will prevent smears and reduce
wiping noises caused by residue on the wind-
shield.
Washing by hand
In some countries, washing by hand is only
allowed at specially equipped washing bays. Observe the legal requirements in all coun-
tries concerned.
XDo not use hot water and do not wash the
vehicle in direct sunlight.
XUse a soft sponge to clean.
XUse a mild cleaning agent, such as a car
shampoo approved by Mercedes-Benz.
XThoroughly hose down the vehicle with a
gentle jet of water.
XDo not point the water jet directly towards
the air inlets.
XUse plenty of water and rinse out the
sponge frequently.
XRinse the vehicle with clean water and dry
thoroughly with a chamois.
XDo not let the cleaning agent dry on the
paintwork.
When using the vehicle in winter, remove all
traces of road salt deposits carefully and as
soon as possible.
Power washers
GWARNING
The water jet from a circular jet nozzle (dirt
blasters) can cause invisible exterior damage
to the tires or chassis components. Compo-
nents damaged in this way may fail unexpect-
edly. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not use power washers with circular jet
nozzles to clean the vehicle. Have damaged
tires or chassis components replaced imme-
diately.
!Always maintain a distance of at least
11.8 in (30 cm) between the vehicle and the
power washer nozzle. Information about
the correct distance is available from the
equipment manufacturer.
Move the power washer nozzle around
when cleaning your vehicle.
Do not aim directly at any of the following:
Rtires
Rdoor gaps, roof gaps, joints, etc.
Relectrical components
Care377
Maintenance and care
Z

Cleaning the vehicle parts
Cleaning the wheels
GWARNING
The water jet from a circular jet nozzle (dirt
blasters) can cause invisible exterior damage
to the tires or chassis components. Compo-
nents damaged in this way may fail unexpect-
edly. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not use power washers with circular jet
nozzles to clean the vehicle. Have damaged
tires or chassis components replaced imme-
diately.
!Do not use acidic wheel cleaning products
to remove brake dust. This could damage
wheel bolts and brake components.
!Do not park the vehicle for an extended
period straight after cleaning it, particularly
after having cleaned the wheels with wheel
cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
increased corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. For this reason, you
should drive for a few minutes after clean-
ing. Braking heats the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings, thus drying them. The
vehicle can then be parked.
Cleaning the windows
GWARNING
You could become trapped by the windshield wipers if they start moving while cleaning the
windshield or wiper blades. There is a risk of
injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
the ignition before cleaning the windshield or
wiper blades.
!Do not use dry cloths, abrasive products,
solvents or cleaning agents containing sol-
vents to clean the inside of the windows. Do
not touch the insides of the windows with
hard objects, e.g. an ice scraper or ring.
There is otherwise a risk of damaging the
windows.
!Clean the water drainage channels of the
windshield and the rear window at regular
intervals. Deposits such as leaves, petals
and pollen may under certain circumstan-
ces prevent water from draining away. This
can lead to corrosion damage and damage
to electronic components.
XClean the inside and outside of the win-
dows with a damp cloth and a cleaning
product that is recommended and
approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Cleaning wiper blades
GWARNING
You could become trapped by the windshield wipers if they start moving while cleaning the
windshield or wiper blades. There is a risk of
injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
the ignition before cleaning the windshield or
wiper blades.
!Do not pull the wiper blade. Otherwise,
the wiper blade could be damaged.
!Do not clean wiper blades too often and
do not rub them too hard. Otherwise, the
graphite coating could be damaged. This
could cause wiper noise.
!Hold the wiper arm securely when folding
back. The windshield could be damaged if
the wiper arm smacks against it suddenly.
XFold the windshield wiper arms away from
the windshield.
XCarefully clean the wiper blades with a
damp cloth.
XFold the windshield wiper arms back again
before switching on the ignition.
Cleaning the exterior lighting
!Only use cleaning agents or cleaning
cloths which are suitable for plastic light
lenses. Unsuitable cleaning agents or
cleaning cloths could scratch or damage
the plastic light lenses.
Care379
Maintenance and care
Z

XUse clear water and a soft cloth to clean
camera lens:.
Cleaning the exhaust pipe
GWARNING
The exhaust tail pipe and tail pipe trim can
become very hot. If you come into contact
with these parts of the vehicle, you could burn
yourself. There is a risk of injury.
Always be particularly careful around the
exhaust tail pipe and the tail pipe trim. Allow
these components to cool down before touch-
ing them.
Impurities combined with the effects of road
grit and corrosive environmental factors may
cause flash rust to form on the surface. You
can restore the original shine of the exhaust
pipe by cleaning it regularly, especially in win-
ter and after washing.
XClean the exhaust pipe with a chrome care
product tested and approved by Mercedes-
Benz.
Cleaning the trailer tow hitch
HEnvironmental note
Dispose of rags soaked in oil and grease in an
environmentally responsible manner.
!Do not clean the ball coupling with a
power washer. Do not use solvents.
!Please note the care instructions in the
trailer coupling manufacturer's operating
instructions.
The ball coupling must be cleaned if it
becomes dirty or corroded.
XRemove rust on the ball of the ball coupling, e.g. with a wire brush.
XRemove dirt with a clean, lint-free cloth or abrush.
XAfter cleaning, lightly oil or grease ball cou-
pling :.
XCheck that the vehicle's trailer tow hitch is
working properly.
iYou can also have the maintenance work
on the ball coupling and the trailer tow hitch
carried out by a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Interior care
Cleaning the display
!For cleaning, do not use any of the fol-
lowing:
Ralcohol-based thinner or gasoline
Rabrasive cleaning agents
Rcommercially-available household clean-
ing agents
These may damage the display surface. Do not put pressure on the display surface
when cleaning. This could lead to irrepara-
ble damage to the display.
Care381
Maintenance and care
Z

XBefore cleaning the display, make sure thatit is switched off and has cooled down.
XClean the display surface using a commer-
cially available microfiber cloth and
TFT/LCD display cleaner.
XDry the display surface using a dry micro-
fiber cloth.
Cleaning Night View Assist Plus
!Never clean the camera lens. When clean-
ing the field of vision of the driving systems,
make sure that you do not spray glass
cleaner on the camera lens. If the camera
lens is dirty, visit a qualified specialist work-
shop.
XFold down the camera cover by recess :.
XUse a soft cloth to clean the windshield in
front of camera;.
Cleaning the plastic trim
GWARNING
Care products and cleaning agents containing solvents cause surfaces in the cockpit to
become porous. As a result, plastic parts may
come loose in the event of air bag deploy-
ment. There is a risk of injury.
Do not use any care products and cleaning
agents to clean the cockpit.
!Do not affix the following to plastic surfa-
ces:
Rstickers
Rfilms
Rscented oil bottles or similar items
You can otherwise damage the plastic.
!Do not allow cosmetics, insect repellent
or sunscreen to come into contact with the
plastic trim. This maintains the high-quality
look of the surfaces.
XWipe the plastic trim with a damp, lint-free
cloth, e.g. a microfiber cloth.
XHeavy soiling: use care and cleaning prod-
ucts recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
The surface may change color temporarily.
Wait until the surface is dry again.
Cleaning the steering wheel and gear or
selector lever
XThoroughly wipe with a damp cloth or use
leather care agents that have been recom-
mended and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Cleaning genuine wood and trim ele-
ments
!Do not use solvent-based cleaning agents
such as tar remover, wheel cleaners, pol-
ishes or waxes. There is otherwise a risk of
damaging the surface.
!Do not use chrome polish on trim pieces.
The trim pieces have a chrome look but are
mostly made of anodized aluminum and
382Care
Maintenance and care

can lose their shine if chrome polish is
used. Use a damp, lint-free cloth instead
when cleaning the trim pieces.
If the chrome-plated trim pieces are very
dirty, you can use a chrome polish. If you
are unsure as to whether the trim pieces
are chrome-plated or not, consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
XWipe the wooden trim and trim pieces with
a damp, lint-free cloth, e.g. a microfiber
cloth.
XHeavy soiling:use car care and cleaning
products recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
Cleaning the seat covers
General notes
!Do not use microfiber cloths to clean gen-
uine leather, artificial leather or DINAMICA
covers. If used often, these can damage the
cover.
iNote that regular care is essential to
ensure that the appearance and comfort of
the covers is retained over time.
Genuine leather seat covers
!To retain the natural appearance of the
leather, observe the following cleaning
instructions:
RClean genuine leather covers carefully
with a damp cloth and then wipe the cov-
ers down with a dry cloth.
RMake sure that the leather does not
become soaked. It may otherwise
become rough and cracked.
ROnly use leather care agents that have
been tested and approved by Mercedes-
Benz. You can obtain these from a quali-
fied specialist workshop.
Leather is a natural product.
It exhibits natural surface characteristics, for
example:
Rdifferences in the texture
Rmarks caused by growth and injury
Rslight nuances of color
These are characteristics of leather and not
material defects.
Seat covers of other materials
!Observe the following when cleaning:
Rclean artificial leather covers with a cloth
moistened with a solution containing 1%
detergent (e.g. dish washing liquid).
Rclean cloth covers with a microfiber cloth
moistened with a solution containing 1%
detergent (e.g. dish washing liquid). Ru b
ca

refully and always wipe entire seat sec-
tions to avoid leaving visible lines. Leave
the seat to dry afterwards. Cleaning
results depend on the type of dirt and
how long it has been there.
Rclean DINAMICA covers with a damp
cloth. Make sure that you wipe entire
seat sections to avoid leaving visible
lines.
Cleaning the seat belts
GWARNING
Seat belts can become severely weakened if
bleached or dyed. This could cause the seat
belts to tear or fail, for instance, in the event of an accident. This poses an increased risk of
injury or fatal injury.
Never bleach or dye the seat belts.
!Do not clean the seat belts using chemical
cleaning agents. Do not dry the seat belts
by heating at temperatures above 176 ‡
(80 †) or in direct sunlight.
XUse clean, lukewarm water and soap solu-
tion.
Care383
Maintenance and care
Z

CWheel bolts
DTowing eye
XLift the cargo compartment floor up
(
Ypage 347).
Flat tire
Preparing the vehicle
Your vehicle may be equipped with:
RMOExtended tires (tires with run-flat prop-
erties)
Vehicle preparation is not necessary on
vehicles with MOExtended tires
Ra TIREFIT kit
Ran emergency spare wheel (only for certaincountries)
Information on changing/mounting a wheel
(
Ypage 427).
XStop the vehicle on solid, non-slippery and
level ground, as far away as possible from
traffic.
XSwitch on the hazard warning lamps.
XSecure the vehicle against rolling away
(
Ypage 189).
XIf possible, bring the front wheels into the
straight-ahead position.
XVehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
make sure that highway level is selected
(
Ypage 219).
XVehicles with the ON&OFFROAD pack-
age: make sure that highway level is selec-
ted (
Ypage 213).
XSwitch off the engine.
XVehicles without KEYLESS-GO: remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
XVehicles with KEYLESS-GO: open the
driver's door.
The on-board electronics now have status
0. This is the same as the SmartKey having
been removed.
XVehicles with KEYLESS-GO: remove the
Start/Stop button from the ignition lock
(
Ypage 165).
XMake sure that the passengers are not
endangered as they do so. Make sure that
no one is near the danger area while a
wheel is being changed. Anyone who is not
directly assisting in the wheel change
should, for example, stand behind the bar-
rier.
XGet out of the vehicle. Pay attention to traf-
fic conditions when doing so.
XClose the driver's door.
XUnload heavy luggage.
iOnly operate the tire inflation compressor
using a 12 V socket, even if the ignition is
turned off (
Ypage 353).
An emergency cut-out ensures that the on-
board voltage does not drop too low. If the on-board voltage is too low, the power to
the sockets is automatically cut. This
ensures that there is sufficient power to
start the engine.
MOExtended tires (tires with run-flat
properties)
General notes
With MOExtended tires (tires with run flat
characteristics), you can continue to drive
your vehicle even if there is a total loss of
pressure in one or more tires. The affected
tire must not show any clearly visible damage.
You can recognize MOExtended tires by the
MOExtended marking which appears on the
sidewall of the tire. You will find this marking
next to the tire size designation, the load-
bearing capacity and the speed index
(
Ypage 421).
MOExtended tires may only be used in con-
junction with an active tire pressure loss
warning system or with an active tire pressure
monitor.
Flat tire387
Breakdown assistance

If a pressure loss warning message
appears in the multifunction display:
Robserve the instructions in the display mes-
sages (
Ypage 318).
Rcheck the tire for damage.
Rif driving on, observe the following notes.
The driving distance possible in run-flat mode
is approximately 50 miles (80 km) when the
vehicle is partially laden and approximately
18 miles (30 km) when the vehicle is fully
laden.
In addition to the vehicle load, the driving dis-
tance possible depends upon:
Rvehicle speed
Rroad condition
Routside temperature
The driving distance possible in run-flat mode
may be reduced by extreme driving condi-
tions or maneuvers, or it can be increased
through a moderate style of driving.
The driving distance possible in run-flat mode
is counted from the moment the tire pressure
loss warning appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
You must not exceed a maximum speed of
50 mph (80 km/h).
iWhen replacing one or all tires, please
observe the following specifications for
your vehicle's tires:
Rsize
Rtype and
Rthe "MOExtended" mark
If a tire has gone flat and cannot be
replaced with a MOExtended tire, a stand-
ard tire may be used as a temporary meas-
ure. Make sure that you use the proper size
and type (summer or winter tire).
iVehicles equipped with MOExtended tires
are not equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the
factory. It is therefore recommen
ded that
you additionally equip your vehicle with a
TIREFIT kit if you mount tires that do not
feature run-flat properties, e.g. winter tires. A TIREFIT kit may be obtained from a quali-
fied specialist workshop.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
When driving in emergency mode, the driving
characteristics deteriorate, e.g. when corner-
ing, accelerating quickly and when braking.
There is a risk of an accident.
Do not exceed the stated maximum speed.
Avoid abrupt steering and driving maneuvers,
and driving over obstacles (curbs, potholes,
off-road). This applies in particular to a laden
vehicle.
Stop driving in emergency mode if:
Ryou hear banging noises.
Rthe vehicle starts to shake.
Ryou see smoke and smell rubber.
RESP®is intervening constantly.
Rthere are tears in the sidewalls of the tire.
After driving in emergency mode, have the
wheel rims checked at a qualified specialist
workshop with regard to their further use. The
defective tire must be replaced in every case.
TIREFIT kit
Important safety notes
TIREFIT is a tire sealant.
You can use TIREFIT to seal punctures of up to
0.16 in (4 mm), particularly those in the tire
tread. You can use TIREFIT at outside tem-
peratures down to Ò4 ‡ (Ò20 †).
GWARNING
In the following situations, the tire sealant is
unable to provide sufficient breakdown assis-
tance, as it is unable to seal the tire properly:
Rthere are cuts or punctures in the tire larger
than those mentioned above.
Rthe wheel rim is damaged.
Ryou have driven at very low tire pressures or on a flat tire.
388Flat tire
Breakdown assistance