2011 Mercedes GL-Class Owner's Manual - Page 276

274 Stowage areas Installing the crossbars G Warning! G Warning! Loading, stowing and features Please follow these installation instructions carefully. Caution should be exercised to avoid damage to the vehicle while installing the crossbars. Also, be careful not to injure yourself or others while installing and adjusting the crossbars or loading items on them. Each individual step of the installation instructions, the warning notices, the general safety precautions and the instructions for use must be followed exactly. If the crossbars are not mounted correctly, they and the objects attached to them could come loose from your vehicle and cause an accident, thereby injuring you and other persons and/ or causing damage to property, including damage to your vehicle. Only install the crossbars at the exact locations designated on the roof rails. The designated locations for the front crossbars are between the markings engraved on the inside of the roof rails. The designated locations for the rear crossbars are between the gaps on the roof rails. Otherwise, the crossbars, mounted accessories and the objects attached to them could come loose from the vehicle causing an accident, thereby injuring you and other persons and/or causing damage to property, including damage to your vehicle. G Warning! G Warning! Every time the crossbars are mounted, before you set off on a journey and periodically during longer journeys, check all the screws on the crossbars to make sure that they are secure, and tighten them if necessary. Repeat these checks at regular intervals as roadsurface conditions dictate, and at least after every 1500 miles (2500 km) of continuous use. Otherwise, the crossbars, mounted accessories and the objects attached to them could come loose from the vehicle causing an accident, thereby injuring you and other persons and/or causing damage to property, including damage to your vehicle. Do not use lubricant on the screws of the crossbars. The screws could work loose and the crossbars could become detached from your vehicle, together with the objects attached to them causing an accident, thereby injuring you and other persons and/ or causing damage to property, including damage to your vehicle. A roof load creates a greater surface area exposed to the wind and causes the vehicle to have a higher center of gravity, thereby changing the vehicle's driving characteristics. Accordingly, the additional weight on the roof of the vehicle can have a detrimental effect on braking, cornering and acceleration. Never exceed the maximum permissible roof load or the maximum permissible vehicle weight, even when accessories for the crossbars (e.g. ski racks, bicycle racks, etc.) are being used. Overloading the vehicle could result in an accident. When calculating the weight placed on the roof please make sure to add the weight of the crossbars, accessory racks and the load carried together. Always adapt your driving style to the road, traffic and weather conditions, and drive with added caution when the roof is loaded. Always drive with extreme care when the carrier is loaded. Take into consideration that when the carrier is loaded, the handling characteristics are different from those when operating the vehicle without a carrier loaded. G Warning! Do not use accessories which have not been approved by Mercedes-Benz for use in conjunction with these crossbars. If nonapproved accessories are used, these