2009 Mercedes GL-Class Owner's Manual - Page 184

463_AKB; 2; 52, en-US d2ureepe, 2008-12-02T10:52:11+01:00 - Seite 182 Version: 2.11.7.1 182 Driving instructions G Warning! Remember that, when stopped, the front wheels slide across a surface and thus lose their ability to steer the vehicle. Never turn the vehicle around on steep inclines. The vehicle might roll over. If the vehicle cannot complete the attempted climb, back it down in reverse gear. Driving through water Traction in steep terrain Be easy on the accelerator and watch for continuous wheel traction when driving in steep terrain. Operation i The 4-ETS helps greatly when starting out on a steep incline when the front wheels have then the tendency to slip due to the weight shifting away from the front axle. The 4-ETS recognizes the situation and limits the torque for the front wheels by braking them. Simultaneously the torque for the rear wheels is increased. Driving across a hilltop Decelerate just ahead of a hilltop (do not shift automatic transmission into neutral position N), to prevent the vehicle from speeding up too much after climbing a hill. Use the momentum of the vehicle to drive across the hilltop. After climbing a hill, driving in this manner prevents the vehicle from: Rlosing Rlosing : Fording depth, 20 in (50 cm) RBefore driving through water, determine its depth. ground contact when cresting hills its forward momentum Rspeeding up too much after climbing the hill ! The water depth must not exceed 20 in (50 cm). The ground under the water might not be firm which could result the water being deeper than expected when driving the vehicle through it. Please note that the water level is correspondingly lower for flowing water. RComply with the warnings (Y page 179) and rules for off-road driving (Y page 180). RSwitch off the exterior lamps as well as the climate control. RShift automatic transmission into gear range 1 or 2 (Y page 89). RAvoid REnter high engine speeds. Driving downhill RShift automatic transmission into gear range 1 (Y page 89). downhill observing the same rules as driving uphill (Y page 181). and leave the water only at a shallow spot, driving at walking speed. RDrive i The special LOW RANGE - ABS (Y page 51) setting allows for precise and brief (cyclical) blocking of the front wheels, permitting them to dig into loose ground. ! Never accelerate before driving into the water. The bow wave could force water into the engine and auxiliary equipment, thus damaging them. RDrive through the water slowly and at a constant speed. RDo not stop vehicle while immersed in water, and do not shut off the engine.