Mercedes-Benz GL-Class: General information - Off-road driving - Driving tips - Driving and parking - Mercedes-Benz GL-Class Owner's ManualMercedes-Benz GL-Class: General information

Read this section carefully before driving your vehicle off-road. Practice by driving over more gentle off-road terrain first.

Familiarize yourself with the characteristics of your vehicle and the gear shift operation before driving through difficult terrain.

The following driving systems are specially adapted to off-road driving:

• off-road drive program (for vehicles without Off-Road Pro engineering package)
• LOW RANGE off-road gear
• off-road ABS
• off-road 4ETS
• off-road ESP®()
• hill start assist
• differential locks
• DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)

Observe the following notes:

• Stop your vehicle and, if necessary, select the off-road drive program or the LOW RANGE off-road gear before driving off-road.
• Select a vehicle level suitable for the offroad terrain. Make sure there is always sufficient ground clearance to prevent damage to the vehicle.
• Activate the differential locks.
• Check that items of luggage and loads are stowed safely and are well secured.
• Always keep the engine running and in gear when driving on a downhill gradient.
Activate DSR.
• Always keep the doors, tailgate, windows and sliding sunroof closed while driving.
• Adapt your speed to the terrain. The rougher, steeper or more ruts on the terrain, the slower your speed should be.
• Drive slowly and at an even speed through the water. Ensure that a bow wave does not form as you drive.
• Drive with extreme care on unknown offroad routes where visibility is poor. For safety reasons, get out of the vehicle first and survey the off-road route.
• Look out for obstacles such as rocks, holes, tree stumps and furrows.
• Check the depth of water before fording rivers and streams.
• When fording, do not stop and do not switch off the engine.
• On sand, drive quickly to overcome the rolling resistance. Otherwise, the vehicle could dig itself into the sand.
• Do not jump with the vehicle as this will interrupt the vehicle's propulsion.
• Always keep the engine running and in gear when driving on a slope.
• Do not shift the automatic transmission to transmission position N.

    Important safety notes
    WARNING   Grains of sand, particles of dirt and other abrasive materials can enter the brake system. This can lead to excessive wear and unpredictable braking efficiency. After the bra ...

    Checklist before driving off-road
    ► Engine oil level: check the engine oil and top it up if necessary. The vehicle can only guarantee a smooth supply of oil on steep stretches if there is a sufficient level of engine oil ...

    See also:

    Collision Damage Repair (U.S. and Canada)
    If the vehicle is involved in a collision and it is damaged, have the damage repaired by a qualified technician using the proper equipment and quality replacement parts. Poorly performed collision r ...

    Programming trouble-diagnosis
    If HomeLink® does not quickly learn the hand-held transmitter information: ► replace the hand-held transmitter batteries with new batteries. ► position the hand-held transmitter w ...

    System components
    Rear displays CAUTION ► The glass screen on the liquid crystal display may break if hit with a hard or sharp object. If the glass breaks, do not touch the liquid crystalline material. ...