2011 Mercedes GL-Class Owner's Manual - Page 180

178 Driving tips G Warning! 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 and parking i Hill start assist will aid you when pulling away on a hill. For more information, see "Hill start assist" (Y page 150). Maximum gradient climbing ability On good road surfaces, the maximum gradient climbing capability of your vehicle is 100%, which corresponds to an approach/ departure angle of 45°. Note that the vehicle's gradient-climbing capability depends on the off-road conditions. Accelerate carefully and make sure that the wheels do not spin when driving on steep terrain. Driving downhill RDrive RDo i If the load on the front axle is reduced when pulling away on a steep uphill slope, the front wheels have a tendency to spin. 4ETS recognizes this and brakes the wheels accordingly. The rear wheel torque is increased and it is easier to pull away. i Vehicles with an Advanced Off-road package have a differential lock for the transfer case and a differential lock for the rear axle to improve vehicle traction. Hilltops When driving up an uphill gradient, slightly reduce pressure on the accelerator immediately before reaching the brow of the hill. Make use of the vehicle's own impetus to travel over the brow. This style of driving prevents: Rthe vehicle from lifting off the ground on the slowly. not drive at an angle down steep inclines. Steer into the line of fall and drive with the front wheels aligned straight. Otherwise, the vehicle could slip sideways, tip and rollover. RBefore tackling steep downhill gradients, select shift range 1. RActivate DSR. If this is not sufficient, brake gently. When doing so, make sure that the vehicle is facing in the direction of the line of fall. RCheck that the brakes are working normally after a long downhill stretch. i The special off-road ABS setting enables the front wheels to be locked accurately, briefly and repeatedly, causing them to dig into the loose ground. Note that when the front wheels are fully braked, they slide easily over the ground surface and therefore steering is impaired. Driving abroad An extensive Mercedes-Benz Service network is also available in other countries. The Service Hotline's current telephone numbers for use when you are abroad are to be found in the "Service24h" section of the Service Booklet. brow of a hill of traction Rthe vehicle from traveling too quickly down the other side Rloss