2019 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS SUV Owner's Manual

front-passenger door when the engine is
switched off. Otherwise, the automatic
transmission selects park position
005Dauto-
matically and locks the wheels. You can
prevent this by shifting the automatic trans- mission to 005Cbeforehand.
R Vehicles 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 005Dauto-
matically and locks the wheels.
Observe the following to make sure that the
automatic transmission stays in position 005C:
X Make sure the vehicle is stationary and the
ignition is switched off.
X Turn the SmartKey to position in the ignition
lock 0048(Ypage 140).
Use the SmartKey instead of the Start/Stop
button on vehicles with KEYLESS-GO.
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Shift the automatic transmission to position
005C.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch 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 the 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.
X Do not use hot water and do not wash the
vehicle in direct sunlight.
X Use a soft sponge to clean.
X Use a mild cleaning agent, such as a car
shampoo approved by Mercedes-Benz.
X Thoroughly hose down the vehicle with a gen-
tle jet of water.
X Do not point the water jet directly towards the
air inlets. X
Use plenty of water and rinse out the sponge
frequently.
X Rinse the vehicle with clean water and dry
thoroughly with a chamois.
X Do 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 G
WARNING
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 12 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:
R Tires
R Door gaps, roof gaps, joints, etc.
R Electrical components
R Battery
R Plug-type couplings
R Light bulbs
R Seals
R Trim elements
R Ventilation slots
Damaged seals or electrical components can
lead to leaks or failures.
! Vehicles with decorative film: parts of your
vehicle are covered with decorative film.
Maintain a distance of at least 27.5 in (70 cm)
between the film-covered parts of the vehicle and the nozzle of the power washer.
Information about the correct distance is
available from the equipment manufacturer. Care
327Maintenance and care Z

Move the power washer nozzle around when
cleaning your vehicle.
The water temperature of the power washer
must not exceed 140 ‡ (60 †).
Cleaning the paintwork !
Do not affix:
R stickers
R films
R magnetic plates or similar items
to painted surfaces. You could otherwise
damage the paintwork.
Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected by
corrosion and damage caused by inadequate
care cannot always be completely repaired. In
such cases, visit a qualified specialist workshop.
X Remove dirt immediately, where possible,
while avoiding rubbing too hard.
X Soak insect remains with insect remover and
rinse off the treated areas afterwards.
X Soak bird droppings with water and rinse off
the treated areas afterwards.
X Remove tree resin, oils, fuels and greases by
rubbing gently with a cloth soaked in petro-
leum ether or lighter fluid
X Remove coolant and brake fluid with a moist
cloth and clear water.
X Use tar remover to remove tar stains.
X Use silicone remover to remove wax.
If water no longer forms "beads" on the paint
surface, use the paint care products recommen- ded and approved by Mercedes-Benz. This is the
case approximately every three to five months,
depending on the climate conditions and the
care product used.
If dirt has penetrated the paint surface or if the
paint has become dull, the paint cleaner recom-
mended and approved by Mercedes-Benz
should be used.
Do not use these care products in the sun or on the hood while the hood is hot.
X Use a suitable touch-up stick, e.g. MB Touch-
Up Stick, to repair slight damage to the paint- work quickly and provisionally.
Matte finish care !
Never polish the vehicle or the light alloy
wheels. Polishing causes the finish to shine. !
The following can give the paint a glossy
appearance and thus reduce the matt effect:
R Rubbing hard with unsuitable agents
R Washing the vehicle in direct sunlight
! Never use paint cleaner, buffing or polishing
products, or gloss preserver, e.g. wax, for the purpose of paintwork care. These products
are only suitable for high-gloss surfaces. Their
use on vehicles with matte paintwork leads to
considerable surface damage or, more spe-
cifically, to shiny, spotted areas.
Always have paintwork repairs carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop.
! Only use automatic car washes which cor-
respond to the latest technological stand-
ards. Never use wash programs which finish
by treating the vehicle with hot wax.
Observe these notes if your vehicle has a clear
matte finish. This will help you to avoid damage
to the paintwork due to incorrect treatment.
These notes also apply to light alloy wheels with
a clear matte finish.
i Use only insect remover and car shampoo
from the range of recommended and
approved Mercedes-Benz care products.
Cleaning the decorative film !
The following may have an effect on the ser-
vice life and color of decorative film:
R sunlight
R temperature, e.g. hot-air fan
R weather conditions
R stone impacts and dirt
R chemical cleaning agents
R greasy substances
! Do not use any types of polish on matt dec-
orative film. Polishing surfaces covered with
film gives it a shiny finish.
! Do not treat matt or structured decorative
film with wax. This may lead to marks that
cannot be removed.
Observe the notes in the matte finish paintwork
care and treatment chapter (Y page 328).
These notes also apply for matte decorative
films.
To clean, use plenty of water and a mild cleaning
agent without additional or abrasive products, 328
CareMaintenance and care

e.g. a car shampoo approved for Mercedes-
Benz.
X Dry vehicles covered with film using a soft,
absorbent cloth after every wash.
Water marks could otherwise form.
Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected by
corrosion and damage caused by inadequate
care cannot always be completely repaired. In
such cases, visit a qualified specialist workshop.
X Remove dirt immediately, where possible,
while avoiding rubbing too hard.
The decorative film may be irreparably dam-
aged.
X Soak insect remains with insect remover and
rinse off the treated areas afterwards.
X Soak bird droppings with water and rinse off
the treated areas afterwards.
The Paint Cleaner cleaning product, which has
been approved and recommended for
Mercedes-Benz, should be used when dirt has
penetrated the decorative film surface or the
decorative film has become dull.
The manufacturer can provide you with infor-
mation on special care and cleaning products.
Surfaces covered with a decorative film may,
once a decorative film has been removed, show visual differences from the surfaces that were
not protected by a decorative film.
i Have work or repairs on decorative film car-
ried out at a qualified specialist workshop.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for this
purpose. Cleaning the vehicle parts
Cleaning the wheels G
WARNING
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 G
WARNING
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.
X Clean 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 G
WARNING
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. Care
329Maintenance and care
Z

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.
X Fold the windshield wiper arms away from the
windshield (Y page 123).
X Carefully clean the wiper blades with a damp
cloth.
X Fold 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.
X Clean 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.
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.
X Clean 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 insert of the side
running board with alkaline or acid-based
cleaning agents, such as wheel cleaner. Do
not use acidic wheel cleaners to remove brake dust. The aluminum inserts could oth-
erwise 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. X
Clean sensors 0043of 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. 330
CareMaintenance and care

X
Make sure that the vehicle is stationary and
the SmartKey is in position 0048in the ignition
lock.
X Open the camera cover for cleaning via the
multimedia system (see Digital Operator's
Manual).
X To clean the camera: use clean water and a
soft cloth to clean the camera lens 0043.
360° camera: if you drive at speeds above
20 mph (30 km/h) or with the SmartKey in posi- tion 0092or0047 in the ignition lock, the cover of
the 360° camera closes.
Cleaning the exhaust pipe G
WARNING
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 burns.
Always be particularly careful and supervise
children closely around the exhaust pipe and
the exhaust pipe trims. Allow these compo-
nents to cool down before touching 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.
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.
X Clean the exhaust pipe with a chrome care
product tested and approved by Mercedes-
Benz.
Cleaning the trailer tow hitch H
Environmental 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.
X Remove rust on the ball of the ball coupling,
e.g. with a wire brush.
X Remove dirt with a clean, lint-free cloth or a
brush.
X After cleaning, lightly oil or grease ball cou-
pling 0043.
X Check that the vehicle's trailer tow hitch is
working properly.
i You 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:
R alcohol-based thinner or gasoline
R abrasive cleaning agents
R commercially-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. Care
331Maintenance and care Z

X
Before cleaning the display, make sure that it
is switched off and has cooled down.
X Clean the display surface using a commer-
cially available microfiber cloth and TFT/LCD
display cleaner.
X Dry the display surface using a dry microfiber
cloth.
Cleaning the plastic trim G
WARNING
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:
R stickers
R films
R perfume 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.
X Wipe the plastic trim with a damp, lint-free
cloth, e.g. a microfiber cloth.
X Heavy 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 X
Thoroughly 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.
X Wipe the wooden trim and trim pieces with a
damp, lint-free cloth, e.g. a microfiber cloth.
X Heavy 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.
i Note 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:
R Clean genuine leather covers carefully with
a damp cloth and then wipe the covers
down with a dry cloth.
R Make sure that the leather does not
become soaked. It may otherwise become
rough and cracked.
R Only 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:
R differences in the texture
R marks caused by growth and injury
R slight nuances of color 332
CareMaintenance and care

These are characteristics of leather and not
material defects.
Seat covers of other materials ! Observe the following when cleaning:
R clean artificial leather covers with a cloth
moistened with a solution containing 1%
detergent (e.g. dish washing liquid).
R clean cloth covers with a microfiber cloth
moistened with a solution containing 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.
R clean DINAMICA covers with a damp cloth.
Make sure that you wipe entire seat sec-
tions to avoid leaving visible lines.
Cleaning the seat belts G
WARNING
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.
X Use clean, lukewarm water and soap solution.
Cleaning the headliner and carpets X
Headliner: if it is very dirty, use a soft brush or
dry shampoo.
X Carpets: use the carpet and textile cleaning
agents recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz. Care
333Maintenance and care Z

Where will I find...?
Reflective safety jacket
Removing/replacing the reflective
safety jacket The reflective safety jackets are located in front
door stowage compartments 0043. Reflective
safety jackets can also be stored in the rear door stowage compartments.
X To remove: pull out the safety jacket bag
containing the reflective safety jacket.
X Open the safety jacket bag and pull out the
reflective safety jacket.
X To stow: fold the reflective safety jacket, roll
it up and stow it in the safety jacket bag.
X Replace the safety jacket bag in stowage
compartment 0043.
i Remove a new reflective safety jacket from
its packaging material before sliding it into
the stowage compartment. The packaging
material may otherwise cause it to slip out or
make removing it difficult.
Observe the legal requirements in each country. Information on reflective safety jackets 0043
Maximum number of washes
0044 Maximum wash temperature
0087 Do not bleach
0085 Do not iron
0083 Do not use a laundry dryer
0084 Do not dry-clean
006B This is a class 2 vest
R The reflective safety jackets meet the require-
ments defined by the legal standard only:
- if the correct size is used and
- if the reflective safety jackets are correctly
fastened
R Before use, ensure that the reflective safety
jackets are clean and intact. The special prop-
erties may otherwise be compromised.
R The reflective safety jackets should be stored
in their original packaging in a dry place away
from sources of heat and light.
R The maximum number of washes specified is
not the only factor influencing the life span of
the reflective safety jackets. Their life span
also depends on use, care, storage, etc.
R The reflective safety jackets should be dis-
posed of and replaced with new ones:
- after 15 washes, and/or
- if the reflective strips have become
scratched, and/or
- if the backing material and/or reflective
strips have become soiled and cannot be
cleaned off, and/or
- if the fluorescence has faded e.g. due to the
effects of sunlight
R Dispose of reflective safety jackets in an envi-
ronmentally responsible manner. To do so,
contact your local waste disposal company. 334
Where will I find...?Breakdown assistance