2016 MERCEDES-BENZ GL engine

For more information about children traveling
with you in the vehicle and on child restraint
systems, see "Children in the vehicle"
( Y
page 61).
Important safety notes
G WARNING
Modifications to the restraint system may
cause it to no longer work as intended. The
restraint system may then not perform its
intended protective function and may fail in an
accident or trigger unexpectedly, for example.
This poses an increased risk of injury or even
fatal injury.
Never modify parts of the restraint system.
Never tamper with the wiring, the electronic
components or their software.
If it is necessary to modify an air bag system to
accommodate a person with disabilities, con-
tact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
details. USA only: for further information con-
tact our Customer Assistance Center at
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (1 ‑ 800 ‑ 367 ‑ 6372).
Restraint system warning lamp
The functions of the restraint system are
checked after the ignition is switched on and
at regular intervals while the engine is run-
ning. Therefore, malfunctions can be detec-
ted in good time.
The u restraint system warning lamp in
the instrument cluster lights up when the igni-
tion is switched on. It goes out no later than a
few seconds after the vehicle is started. The
components of the restraint system are in
operational readiness.
A malfunction has occurred if the u
restraint system warning lamp: R
does not light up after the ignition is
switched on R
does not go out after a few seconds with
the engine running R
lights up again while the engine is running G WARNING
If restraint system is malfunctioning, restraint
system components may be triggered unin-
tentionally or might not be triggered at all in
the event of an accident with a high rate of
vehicle deceleration. This can affect the Emer-
gency Tensioning Device or air bag, for exam-
ple. This poses an increased risk of injury or
even fatal injury.
Have the restraint system checked and
repaired in a qualified specialist workshop as
soon as possible.
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp C
is part of the Occupant Classification System
(OCS).
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
informs you about the status of the front-
passenger front air bag.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp: R
is lit : the front-passenger front air bag is
deactivated. It will then not be deployed in
the event of an accident. R
does not light up : the front-passenger
front air bag is enabled. If, in the event of an
accident, all deployment criteria are met,
the front-passenger front air bag is
deployed.Occupant safety 45
Safety Z

light up continuously or flash. In addition,
there may be a warning tone.
Regardless of whether the driver's seat belt
has already been fastened, the v seat belt
warning lamp lights up for six seconds each
time the engine is started. If, after
six seconds, the driver or front-passenger
seat belt has not been fastened and the doors
are closed, the v seat belt warning lamp
lights up. As soon as the driver's and front-
passenger seat belts are fastened or a front
door is opened again, the v seat belt
warning lamp goes out.
If the driver's seat belt is not fastened after
the engine is started, an additional warning
tone will sound. This warning tone stops after
six seconds or when the driver's seat belt is
fastened.
If the vehicle's speed exceeds 15 mph
(25 km/h) once and the driver's and front-
passenger seat belts are not fastened, a
warning tone sounds. A warning tone also
sounds with increasing intensity for
60 seconds or until the driver or front
passenger have fastened their seat belts.
If the driver or front passenger unfasten their
seat belts during the journey, the seat belt
warning is activated again.
i For more information on the v seat
belt warning lamp, see "Warning and indi-
cator lamps in the instrument cluster, seat
belts" ( Y
page 325).
Air bags
Introduction
The installation point of an air bag can be rec-
ognized by the AIR BAG symbol.
An air bag complements the correctly fas-
tened seat belt. It is no substitute for the seat
belt. The air bag provides additional protec-
tion in applicable accident situations.
Not all air bags are deployed in an accident.
The different air bag systems function inde-
pendently from one another ( Y
page 58). However, no system available today can com-
pletely eliminate injuries and fatalities.
It is also not possible to rule out a risk of injury
caused by an air bag due to the high speed at
which the air bag must be deployed.
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If you do not sit in the correct seat position,
the air bag cannot protect as intended and
could even cause additional injury when
deployed. This poses an increased risk of
injury or even fatal injury.
To avoid hazardous situations, always make
sure that all of the vehicle's occupants: R
have fastened their seat belts correctly,
including pregnant women R
are sitting correctly and maintain the great-
est possible distance to the air bags R
follow the following instructions
Always make sure that there are no objects
between the air bag and the vehicle's occu-
pants. R
Adjust the seats properly before beginning
your journey. Always make sure that the
seat is in an almost upright position. The
center of the head restraint must support
the head at about eye level. R
Move the driver's and front-passenger
seats as far back as possible. The driver's
seat position must allow the vehicle to be
driven safely. R
Only hold the steering wheel on the out-
side. This allows the air bag to be fully
deployed. R
Always lean against the backrest while driv-
ing. Do not lean forwards or lean against
the door or side window. You may other-
wise be in the deployment area of the air
bags. R
Always keep your feet in the footwell in
front of the seat. Do not put your feet on the
dashboard, for example. Your feet may oth-50
Occupant safety
Safety

R
the engine is switched off and the fuel sup-
ply is cut off R
vehicles with mbrace: automatic emer-
gency call
Children in the vehicle
Important safety notes Accident statistics show that children
secured in the rear seats are safer than chil-
dren secured in the front-passenger seat. For
this reason, Mercedes-Benz strongly advises
that you install a child restraint system on a
rear seat. Children are generally better pro-
tected there.
If a child younger than twelve years old and
under 5 ft (1.50 m) in height is traveling in the
vehicle: R
always secure the child in a child restraint
system suitable for Mercedes-Benz vehi-
cles. The child restraint system must be
appropriate to the age, weight and size of
the child R
be sure to observe the instructions and
safety notes in this section in addition to
the child restraint system manufacturer's
installation instructions R
be sure to observe the instructions and
safety notes on the "Occupant classifica-
tion system (OCS)" ( Y
page 53)
G WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example: R
release the parking brake. R
shift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P .R
start the engine.
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. 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 unsupervised in the vehicle. 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 the child restraint system is subjected to
direct sunlight, parts may get very hot. Chil-
dren may burn themselves on these parts,
particularly on the metal parts of the child
restraint system. There is a risk of injury.
If you leave the vehicle, taking the child with
you, always ensure that the child restraint
system is not exposed to direct sunlight. Pro-
tect it with a blanket, for example. If the child
restraint system has been exposed to direct
sunlight, let it cool down before securing the
child in it. Never leave children unattended in
the vehicle.
Always ensure that all vehicle occupants have
their seat belts fastened correctly and are sit-
ting properly. Particular attention must be
paid to children.
Observe the safety notes on the seat belt
( Y
page 46) and the notes on correct use of
seat belts ( Y
page 47).
A booster seat may be necessary to achieve
proper seat belt positioning for children over
41 lbs (18 kg) until they reach a height where
a three-point seat belt can be properly fas-
tened without a booster seat.
Special seat belt retractor
G WARNING
If the seat belt is released while driving, the
child restraint system will no longer be
secured properly. The special seat belt retrac-
tor is disabled and the inertia real draws in a
portion of the seat belt. The seat belt cannot
be immediately refastened. There is an
increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.Children in the vehicle 61
Safety Z

Rearward-facing child restraint system If it is absolutely necessary to install a rear-
ward-facing child restraint system on the
front-passenger seat, always make sure that
the front-passenger front air bag is deactiva-
ted. Only if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp is permanently lit ( Y
page 45)
is the front-passenger front air bag deactiva-
ted.
Always observe the child restraint system
manufacturer's installation and operating
instructions.
Forward-facing child restraint system If it is absolutely necessary to install a
forward-facing child restraint system on the
front-passenger seat, always move the front-
passenger seat as far back as possible. The
entire base of the child restraint system must
always rest on the seat cushion of the front-
passenger seat. The backrest of the child
restraint system must lie as flat as possible
against the backrest of the front-passenger
seat. The child restraint system must not
touch the roof or be subjected to a load by the
head restraint. Adjust the angle of the seat
backrest and the head restraint position
accordingly. Always make sure that the shoul-
der belt strap is correctly routed from the
vehicle belt outlet to the shoulder belt guide
on the child restraint system. The shoulder
belt strap must be routed forwards and down-
wards from the vehicle belt outlet. If neces-
sary, adjust the vehicle belt outlet and the
front-passenger seat accordingly.
Always observe the child restraint system
manufacturer's installation and operating
instructions. Child-proof locks
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If children are traveling in the vehicle, they
could: R
open doors, thus endangering other people
or road users R
exit the vehicle and be caught by oncoming
traffic R
operate vehicle equipment and become
trapped
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Always activate the child-proof locks and
override feature if children are traveling in the
vehicle. When leaving the vehicle, always take
the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unattended in the vehicle.
Override feature for: R
the rear doors ( Y
page 67) R
the rear side windows ( Y
page 67)
G WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example: R
release the parking brake. R
shift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P .R
start the engine.
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. 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 unsupervised in the vehicle.
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.66
Children in the vehicle
Safety

Observe the notes in the section on break-
ing-in ( Y
page 164).
Following damage to the front end of the vehi-
cle, have the configuration and operation of
the radar sensor checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. This also applies to colli-
sions at low speeds where there is no visible
damage to the front of the vehicle.
ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Y
page 68).
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission between the tires and
the road surface.
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilize the
vehicle. The engine output is also modified to
keep the vehicle on the desired course within
physical limits. ESP ®
assists the driver when
pulling away on wet or slippery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilize the vehicle during braking.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System)
4ETS traction control is part of ESP ®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
vidually if they spin. This enables you to pull
away and accelerate on slippery surfaces, for
example if the road surface is slippery on one
side. In addition, more drive torque is trans-
ferred to the wheel or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active, even if you
deactivate ESP ®
.
In appropriate driving situations, activate the
off-road program ( Y
page 258). Off-road 4ETS (Electronic Traction Sys-
tem) A 4ETS system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once the off-
road program is activated ( Y
page 258).
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilize the vehicle. Additionally, further driv-
ing safety systems are deactivated. This
increases the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
! Only operate the vehicle for a maximum of
ten seconds on a brake test dynamometer.
Switch off the ignition.
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may oth-
erwise destroy the brake system.
! A function or performance test should
only be carried out on a two-axle dyna-
mometer. Before you operate the vehicle
on such a dynamometer, please consult a
qualified workshop. You could otherwise
damage the drive train or the brake system.
ESP ®
is only deactivated if the

The spinning of the wheels results in a cut-
ting action for better traction on loose sur-
faces. R
traction control is still activated. R
ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
Off-road ESP ®
(vehicles with ON&OFF-
ROAD package) An ESP ®
system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once the off-
road program is activated ( Y
page 258).
Off-road ESP ®
intervenes with a delay if there
is oversteering or understeering, thus improv-
ing traction.
ESP ®
trailer stabilization
General information
If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to
swerve, ESP ®
assists you in this situation.
ESP ®
slows the vehicle down by braking and
limiting the engine output until the vehicle/
trailer combination has stabilized.
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilization will not be able to prevent
the vehicle/trailer combination from swerv-
ing. Trailers with a high center of gravity can
tip over before ESP ®
can detect this. There is
a risk of an accident.
Always adapt your driving style to the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
If your vehicle with trailer (vehicle/trailer
combination) begins to lurch, you can only
stabilize the vehicle/trailer combination by
depressing the brake firmly.
Trailer stabilization is active above speeds of
about 37 mph (60 km/h).
ESP ®
trailer stabilization does not work if
ESP ®
is deactivated or disabled because of a
malfunction. Crosswind Assist General information
Strong crosswinds can cause your vehicle to
deviate from a straight course. The crosswind
driving assistance function integrated into
ESP ®
significantly reduces these effects.
ESP ®
intervenes automatically according to
the direction and intensity of the crosswinds
affecting your vehicle.
ESP intervenes with stabilizing braking to
assist you in keeping the vehicle in the lane.
Crosswind Assist is active at vehicle speeds
above 50 mph (80 km/h) when driving
straight ahead or cornering gently.
Important safety notes
Crosswind Assist does not work if ESP ®
is
deactivated or disabled because of a mal-
function.
EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
General information
EBD monitors and controls the brake pres-
sure on the rear wheels to improve driving
stability while braking.
Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems ( Y
page 68).
G WARNING
If EBD is malfunctioning, the rear wheels can
lock, e.g. under full braking. This increases the
risk of skidding and an accident.
You should therefore adapt your driving style
to the different handling characteristics. Have
the brake system checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps ( Y
page 327) as well as dis-
play messages ( Y
page 293).Driving safety systems 75
Safety Z

Power steering will, however, continue to
function.
Protection against theft
Immobilizer X
To activate with the SmartKey: remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock. X
To activate with KEYLESS-GO: switch the
ignition off and open the driver's door. X
To deactivate: switch on the ignition.
The immobilizer prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct SmartKey.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Any-
one can start the engine if a valid SmartKey
has been left inside the vehicle.
i The immobilizer is always deactivated
when you start the engine.
In the event that the engine cannot be star-
ted (yet the vehicle's battery is charged),
the system is not operational. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or call
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the USA) or
1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
ATA (anti-theft alarm system) X
To arm: lock the vehicle with the SmartKey
or KEYLESS-GO.
Indicator lamp C flashes. The alarm sys-
tem is armed after approximately
15 seconds. X
To deactivate using the SmartKey:
unlock the vehicle with the SmartKey.
or X
Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock. X
To deactivate using KEYLESS-GO: unlock
the vehicle with KEYLESS-GO.
or X
Press the Start/Stop button on the dash-
board. The SmartKey must be inside the
vehicle.
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is armed and you open: R
a door R
the vehicle with the mechanical key R
the tailgate R
the hood X
To turn the alarm off with the SmartKey:
press the 6 or 7 button on the
SmartKey.
The alarm is switched off.
or X
Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
The alarm is switched off. X
To stop the alarm using KEYLESS-GO:
grasp the outside door handle. The Smart-
Key must be outside the vehicle.
The alarm is switched off.
or X
Press the Start/Stop button on the dash-
board. The SmartKey must be inside the
vehicle.
The alarm is switched off.
The alarm is not switched off, even if you
close the open door that triggered it, for
example.78
Protection against theft
Safety

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