2018 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS SUV warning

To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC and the HOLD
function in the following or similar situations:
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.
Rthat the blower of the ventilation/heating
system is switched off (OFF button has
been pressed).
Rthe windshield wiper switch is at position
g.
The vehicle may otherwise be damaged.
!In car washes with a towing mechanism,
make sure that the automatic transmission is
in transmission position i; otherwise, the
vehicle could be damaged.
RVehicles with a SmartKey:
Do not remove the SmartKey from the igni-
tion lock. Do not open the driver's door or
front-passenger door when the engine is
switched off. Otherwise, the automatic
transmission selects park position jauto-
matically and locks the wheels. You can
prevent this by shifting the automatic trans-
mission to ibeforehand.
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 jauto-
matically and locks the wheels.
Observe the following to make sure that the
automatic transmission stays in position i:
XMake sure the vehicle is stationary and the
ignition is switched off.
XTurn the SmartKey to position in the ignition
lock2(Ypage 140).
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 position
i.
XRelease the brake pedal.
XRelease the electric parking brake.
XSwitch off the ignition and leave the SmartKey
in the ignition lock.
You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the very start.
If the vehicle is very dirty, 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 t
he windshield.
Washing by hand
In some countries, washing by hand is only
allowed at specially equipped washing bays.
Observe the legal requirements in all countries
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 gen-
tle 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 paint-
work.
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.
Care331
Maintenance and care
Z

iUse only insect remover and car shampoo
from the range of recommended and
approved Mercedes-Benz care products.
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 your vehicle for a long period of
time directly after cleaning, particularly after
cleaning the wheel rim with wheel cleaner.
Wheel cleaner can lead to the increased cor-
rosion of the brake discs and pads. Therefore,
drive for a few minutes after cleaning. By
heating up the brakes, the brake discs and
pads dry. The vehicle can then be parked for a
long period of time.
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 circumstances pre-
vent water from draining away. This can lead
to corrosion damage and damage to elec-
tronic components.
XClean the inside and outside of the windows
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 graph-
ite 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 (Ypage 123).
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 len- ses.
XClean the plastic lenses of the exterior light-
ing using a wet sponge and a mild cleaning
agent, e. g. Mercedes-Benz car shampoo or
cleaning cloths.
Care333
Maintenance and care
Z

Cleaning the mirror turn signals
!Only use cleaning agents or cleaning cloths
that are suitable for plastic lenses. Unsuitable
cleaning agents or cleaning cloths could
scratch or damage the plastic lenses of the
mirror turn signals.
XClean the plastic lenses of the mirror turn sig-
nals in the exterior mirror housing using a wet
sponge and mild cleaning agent, e.g.
Mercedes-Benz car shampoo or cleaning
cloths.
Cleaning the side running board
!Do not clean the aluminum inserts of the
side running board with alkaline or acidic
cleaners, such as wheel cleaner. Do not use
acidic wheel cleaners to remove brake dust.
The aluminum inserts could otherwise be
damaged.
Cleaning the sensors
!If you clean the sensors with a power
washer, make sure that you keep 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.
XClean sensors :of the driving systems with
water, car shampoo and a soft cloth.
Cleaning the rear view camera and 360°
camera
!Do not clean the camera lens and the area
around the rear view camera or 360° camera
with a power washer.
XMake sure that the vehicle is stationary and
the SmartKey is in position 2in the ignition
lock.
XOpen the camera cover for cleaning via the
multimedia system (see Digital Operator's
Manual).
XTo clean the camera: use clean water and a
soft cloth to clean the camera lens :.
360° camera: if you drive at speeds above
20 mph (30 km/h) or with the SmartKey in posi-
tion uor1 in the ignition lock, the cover of
the 360° camera closes.
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.
!Vehicles with black exhaust pipes: black
chromed screens should not be polished with
a chrome polish. They will otherwise lose their
black shine. For optimal care, the screens
should be rubbed with a lightly oiled cloth
after every car wash. Commercially available
engine and care oils are suitable for this.
334Care
Maintenance and care

For heavier soiling, you can apply a fine paint-
work polish with a microfiber cloth. Remove
the excess polish residue after polishing.
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 winter 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 a
brush.
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 car-
ried out by a qualified specialist workshop.
Interior care
Cleaning the display
!For cleaning, do not use any of the following:
Ralcohol-based thinner or gasoline
Rabrasive cleaning agents
Rcommercially-available household cleaning
agents
These may damage the display surface. Do
not put pressure on the display surface when cleaning. This could lead to irreparable dam-
age to the display.
XBefore cleaning the display, make sure that it
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 microfiber
cloth.
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.
!Never attach the following to plastic surfa-
ces:
Rstickers
Rfilms
Rperfume oil container or similar
You could otherwise damage the plastic.
!Do not allow cosmetics, insect repellent or
sunscreen to come into contact with the plas-
tic 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.
Care335
Maintenance and care
Z

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, polishes or waxes. There is otherwise a risk of damag-
ing 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 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 a microfiber cloth to clean covers
made out of real leather, artificial leather or
DINAMICA. If used often, these can damage
the cover.
iNote that regular care is essential to ensure
that the appearance and comfort of the cov-
ers 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 covers
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 qualified
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 contain ing 1%
detergent (e.g. dish washing liquid). Rub
carefully 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 sec-
tions 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.
336Care
Maintenance and care

Vehicle tool kit
General notes
The vehicle tool kit can be found in the stowage
well under the cargo compartment floor.
Apart from certain country-specific variations,
the vehicles are not equipped with a tire-change
tool kit. Some tools for changing a wheel are
specific to the vehicle. For more information on
which tools are required to perform a wheel
change on your vehicle, consult a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Necessary tire-changing tools can include, for
example:
Rjack
Rwheel chock
Rlug wrench
Rratchet wrench
Ralignment bolt
Vehicles with a TIREFIT kit
:Lug wrench
;Towing eye
=Ratchet wrench
?Alignment bolt
ATire sealant filler bottle
BTire inflation compressor
CFolding wheel chock
DJack
EWheel bolts
XOpen the tailgate.
XLift the cargo compartment floor up
(Ypage 307).
XUse the TIREFIT kit (Ypage 341).
Vehicles with a "Minispare" emergency
spare wheel
:Alignment bolt
;Velcro fastener
=Folding wheel chock
?Ratchet wrench
ALug wrench
BJack
CWheel bolts
DTowing eye
XOpen the tailgate.
XLift the cargo compartment floor up
(Ypage 307).
XRemove the "Minispare" emergency spare
wheel (Ypage 381).
Flat tire
Preparing the vehicle
Your vehicle may be equipped with:
RMOExtended tires (tires with run-flat proper-
ties)
Vehicle preparation is not necessary on vehi-
cles with MOExtended tires
Ra TIREFIT kit (Ypage 339)
Ran emergency spare wheel (only for certain
countries)
Information on changing and mounting wheels
(
Ypage 374).
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 161).
Flat tire339
Breakdo wn assis tance

XIf possible, bring the front wheels into the
straight-ahead position.
XVehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
make sure that the normal vehicle level is
selected (
Ypage 190).
XVehicles with the Off-Road Engineering
package:make sure that the normal level is
selected (
Ypage 184).
XSwitch off the engine.
XVehicles without KEYLESS-GO: remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock.
XVehicles with KEYLESS-GO: open the driv-
er's door.
The vehicle electronics are now in position
u. This means no SmartKey is in the ignition
lock.
XVehicles with KEYLESS-GO: remove the
Start/Stop button from the ignition lock
(
Ypage 140).
XMake sure that the passengers are not endan-
gered 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 barrier.
XGet out of the vehicle. Pay attention to traffic
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 312).
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 char-
acteristics), you can continue to drive your vehi-
cle 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 a MOExtended tire 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-bear-
ing capacity and the speed index (
Ypage 369).
MOExtended tires may only be used in conjunc-
tion with an active tire pressure loss warning
system or with an active tire pressure monitor.
If a pressure loss warning message appears
in the multifunction display:
Robserve the instructions in the display mes-
sages (Ypage 273).
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 vehi-
cle 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 conditions
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 display.
You must not exceed a maximum permissible
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 standard tire may
be used as a temporary measure. Make sure
that you use the proper size and type (sum-
mer or winter tire).
iVehicles equipped with MOExtended tires
are not equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the fac-
tory. It is therefore recommended that you
additionally equip your vehicle w

ith 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 qualified specialist
workshop.
340Flat tire
Breakdown assistance

Important safety notes
GWARNING
When driving in emergenc ymode, th edriving
characteristics deteriorate, e.g. when corner-
ing ,accelerating quickly and when braking .
Ther eis aris kof an accident.
Do no texceed th estate dmaximum speed.
Avoid abrup tsteering and driving maneuvers,
and driving ove robstacles (curbs, potholes,
off-road). This applie sin particular to aladen
vehicle.
Stop driving in emergenc ymod eif:
Ryou hear bangin gnoises .
Rthevehicl estart sto shake.
Ryou see smoke and smell rubber.
RES P®is intervening constantly.
Rthere are tears in th esidewalls of th etire.
Afte rdriving in emergenc ymode, have th e
whee lrim schecke dat aqualified specialist
workshop wit hregard to their further use. The
defective tire must be replace din every case.
TIREFIT kit
Important safety notes
TIREFI Tis atire sealant.
You can use TIREFI Tto seal punctures of up to
0.16 in (4 mm), particularl ythose in th etire
tread. You can use TIREFI Tat outside tempera-
tures down to Ò4 ‡ (Ò20†).
GWARNING
In th efollowin gsituations, th etire sealant is
unable to provid esufficien tbreakdown assis-
tance ,as it is unable to seal th etire properly:
Rthere are cut sor punctures in th etire larger
than those mentioned above.
Rth ewhee lrim is damaged.
Ryou hav edriven at ver ylow tire pressures or
on aflat tire.
There is aris kof an accident.
Do no tdrive th evehicle. Contac t aqualified
specialist workshop .
GWARNING
The tire sealant is harmful and causes irrita-
tion .It mus tno tcome into contact wit hyour
skin ,eyes or clothin gor be swallowed .Do no t
inhale TIREFI Tfumes. Kee ptire sealant away
from children .There is aris kof injury.
If you come into contact wit hth etire sealant ,
observ eth efollowing:
RRinse off th etire sealant from your skin
immediately wit hwater.
RIf th etire sealant comes into contact wit h
your eyes ,immediately rinse them thor-
oughly wit hclean water.
RIf tire sealant is swallowed ,immediately
rinse your mout hout thoroughl yand drink
plenty of water. Do no tinduc evomiting,
and see kmedica lattention immediately.
RImmediately chang eout of clothin gwhic h
has come into contact wit htire sealant .
RIf an allergic reaction occurs, see kmedica l
attention immediately.
!Do no toperate th etire inflation compressor
for longer than eigh tminute sat atime without
a break. It may otherwise overheat.
The tire inflation compressor can be operate d
again once it has cooled down .
Comply wit hth emanufacturer’s safet yinstruc -
tion son th esticker on th etire inflation com-
pressor.
Using the TIREFIT kit
XDo no tremove any foreign objects whic hhav e
penetrated th etire, e.g. screw sor nails.
XRemove th etire sealant bottle, th eaccompa-
nying TIREFI Tsticker and th etire inflation
Flat tire34 1
Breakdown assis tance
Z