2016 MERCEDES-BENZ GL automatic transmission

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).
SmartKey
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 PR
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
If persons, particularly children are subjected
to prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold, there is a risk of injury, possibly even
fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle. G WARNING
If you attach heavy or large objects to the
SmartKey, the SmartKey could be uninten-
tionally turned in the ignition lock. This could
cause the engine to be switched off. There is a
risk of an accident.
Do not attach any heavy or large objects to the
SmartKey. Remove any bulky key rings before
inserting the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
! Keep the SmartKey away from strong
magnetic fields. Otherwise, the remote
control function could be affected.
Strong magnetic fields can occur in the
vicinity of powerful electrical installations.
Do not store the SmartKey: R
with electronic devices, e.g. a mobile
phone or another SmartKey. R
with metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal
foil. R
inside metallic objects, e.g. a metal case.
This can affect the functionality of the
SmartKey.
Do not keep the KEYLESS-GO key in the tem-
perature-controlled cup holder. Otherwise,
the KEYLESS-GO key will not be recognized.
SmartKey functions
C
7 Locks the vehicleD
T Opens/closes the tailgate

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and P Solutions
Vehicles with KEY-
LESS-GO or the KEY-
LESS-GO start func-
tion: the engine cannot
be started using the
Start/Stop button. The
SmartKey is in the vehi-
cle. The vehicle is locked. X
Unlock the vehicle and try to start the vehicle again.
The SmartKey battery is discharged or nearly discharged. X
Check the SmartKey battery ( Y
page 85) and replace it if nec-
essary ( Y
page 85).
If this does not work: X
Start your vehicle with the SmartKey in the ignition lock.
There is interference from a powerful source of radio waves. X
Start your vehicle with the SmartKey in the ignition lock.
Doors
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 PR
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
If persons, particularly children are subjected
to prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold, there is a risk of injury, possibly even fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle.
G WARNING
If objects, luggage or loads are not secured or
not secured sufficiently, they could slip, tip
over or be flung around and thereby hit vehicle
occupants. There is a risk of injury, particu-
larly in the event of sudden braking or a sud-
den change in direction.
Always store objects so that they cannot be
flung around. Secure objects, luggage or
loads against slipping or tipping before the
journey.
You should preferably place luggage or loads
in the cargo compartment. Observe the load-
ing guidelines ( Y
page 340).
Unlocking and opening doors from
the inside
You can open a door from inside the vehicle
even if it has been locked. You can only open
the rear doors from inside the vehicle if they
are not secured by the child-proof locks
( Y
page 67).
If the vehicle has previously been locked from
the outside, opening a door from the inside90
Doors
Opening and closing

Useful information ............................ 164
Notes on breaking-in a new vehi-
cle ....................................................... 164
Driving ............................................... 164
Automatic transmission ................... 173
Refueling ............................................ 182
Parking ............................................... 189
Driving tips ........................................ 192
Driving systems ................................ 202
Towing a trailer ................................. 263 163
Driving 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.
! Do not warm up the engine with the vehi-
cle stationary. Drive off immediately. Avoid
high engine speeds and driving at full throt-
tle until the engine has reached its operat-
ing 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.
! Mercedes-AMG vehicles: at low engine
oil temperatures below 68 ‡ (+20 †), the
maximum engine speed is restricted in
order to protect the engine. To protect the engine and maintain smooth engine oper-
ation, avoid driving at full throttle when the
engine is cold.
SmartKey positions
SmartKey
Z
To remove the SmartKey G
Power supply for some consumers, such
as the windshield wipers H
Ignition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive position I
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.
A check which periodically establishes a radio
connection between the vehicle and the
SmartKey determines whether a valid Smart-
Key is in the vehicle. This occurs, for example,
when starting the engine.
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. Driving 165
Driving and parking Z

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 C from ignition
lock D .
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 vehi-
cle. As long as the SmartKey is in the vehicle: R
the vehicle can be started using the Start/
Stop button R
the 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 PR
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 Vehicles with a gasoline engine: the cata-
lytic 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 174).
The transmission position display in the
multifunction display shows
P ( Y
page 174).
i You can start the engine in transmission
position P and N .
Starting procedure with the SmartKey X
To start a diesel engine : turn the Smart-
Key to position 2 in the ignition lock
( Y
page 165).
The \( preglow indicator lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up. X
Turn the SmartKey to position 3 in the igni-
tion lock and release it as soon as the
engine is running ( Y
page 165).
i Vehicles with a diesel engine: you can
start the engine without preglow if the
engine is warm. Driving 167
Driving and parking Z

Using KEYLESS-GO to start the engine 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. This mode
for starting the engine operates independ-
ently of the ECO start/stop automatic engine
start function. X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed. X
Press the Start/Stop button once
( Y
page 165).
Vehicles with a gasoline engine: the
engine starts.
Vehicles with a diesel engine: preglow is
activated and the engine starts.
Pulling away
General notes
G WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position D or R ,
the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There is
a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position D or R ,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do
not simultaneously accelerate.
Depress the accelerator carefully when pull-
ing away.
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 285).
It is only possible to shift the transmission
from position P to the desired position if you
depress the brake pedal. Only then is the
parking lock released. If you do not depress
the brake pedal, the DIRECT SELECT lever can still be moved but the parking lock remains
engaged.
i Upshifts take place at higher engine
speeds after a cold start. This helps the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature more quickly.
Information on the automatic release of the
electric parking brake ( Y
page 190).
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 C .
The electric parking brake continues to
brake and prevent the vehicle from rolling
backwards.
The red I (USA only) or $ (Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument clus-
ter 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 C .
The electric parking brake is released.
The red I (USA only) or $ (Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument clus-
ter goes out.
Hill start assist
Hill start assist helps you when pulling away
forwards or in reverse on an uphill gradient. It
holds the vehicle for a short time after you168
Driving
Driving and parking

have removed your foot from the brake pedal.
This gives you enough time to move your foot
from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal
and to depress it before the vehicle begins to
roll.
G WARNING
After a short time, hill start assist will no lon-
ger brake your vehicle and it could roll away.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Therefore, quickly move your foot from the
brake pedal to the accelerator pedal. Never
leave the vehicle when it is held by hill start
assist.
Hill start assist is not active if: R
you are pulling away on a level road or on a
downhill gradient. R
the transmission is in position N .R
the electric parking brake is applied. R
ESP ®
is malfunctioning.
ECO start/stop function
Introduction
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle is stop-
ped under certain conditions.
The engine starts automatically when the
driver wants to pull away again. The ECO
start/stop function thereby helps you to
reduce the fuel consumption and emissions
of your vehicle.
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If the engine is switched off automatically and
you exit the vehicle, the engine is restarted
automatically. The vehicle may begin moving.
There is a risk of accident and injury.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
the ignition and secure the vehicle against
rolling away. General notes
C
ECO start/stop display
The ECO start/stop function is activated
whenever you start the engine using the
SmartKey or the Start/Stop button.
If the engine has been switched off automat-
ically by the ECO start/stop function, the

The HOLD function can also be activated if the
engine has been switched off automatically. It
is then not necessary to continue applying the
brakes during the automatic stop phase.
When you depress the accelerator pedal, the
engine starts automatically and the braking
effect of the HOLD function is deactivated.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): automatic engine switch-off can take
place a maximum of four times in a row (initial
stop, then three subsequent stops).
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: the number of
consecutive automatic engine switch-offs is
unlimited.
Automatic engine start The engine starts automatically if: R
you switch off the ECO start/stop function
by pressing the ECO button R
in transmission position D or N the brake
pedal is released and the HOLD function is
not active R
you depress the accelerator pedal R
you engage reverse gear RR
you move the transmission out of position
P R
you switch to drive program S or M
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles) R
you switch to an off-road program (except
Mercedes-AMG vehicles) R
you unfasten your seat belt or open the
driver's door R
the vehicle starts to roll R
the brake system requires this R
the temperature in the vehicle interior devi-
ates from the set range R
the system detects moisture on the wind-
shield when the air-conditioning system is
switched on R
the battery's condition of charge is too low
Shifting the transmission to position P does
not start the engine. Deactivating or activating the ECO
start/stop function All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles) X
To deactivate: press ECO button C .
Indicator lamp D goes out. X
To activate: press ECO button C .
Indicator lamp D lights up.
If the indicator lamp on the ECO button is off,
the ECO start/stop function has been deac-
tivated manually or as the result of a mal-
function.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
X
To deactivate: in drive program C , press
ECO button C .
or X
Switch to drive program S or M
( Y
page 177).
Indicator lamp D goes out.170
Driving
Driving and parking