Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class: Care

Notes on care

Regular care of your vehicle is a condition for retaining the quality in the long term. Use care products and cleaning agents recommended and approved by Mercedes- Benz.

WARNING

Many cleaning products can be hazardous. Some are poisonous, others are flammable. Always follow the instructions on the particular container. Always open your vehicle's doors or windows when cleaning the inside.

Never use fluids or solvents that are not designed for cleaning your vehicle.

Always lock away cleaning products and keep them out of reach of children.

For cleaning your vehicle, do not use any of the following:

• dry, rough or hard cloths
• abrasive cleaning agents
• solvents
• cleaning agents containing solvents

Do not scrub.

Do not touch the surfaces or protective films with hard objects, e.g. a ring or ice scraper. You could otherwise scratch or damage the surfaces and protective film.

Environmental note

Dispose of empty packaging and cleaning cloths in an environmentally responsible manner.

Do not park the vehicle for an extended period straight after cleaning it, particularly after having cleaned the wheels with wheel cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause increased corrosion of the brake discs and brake pads/linings. For this reason, you should drive for a few minutes after cleaning. Braking heats the brake discs and the brake pads/linings, thus drying them. The vehicle can then be parked.

Exterior care

Automatic car wash

WARNING

Braking efficiency is reduced after washing the vehicle. This could cause an accident. For this reason, you must drive particularly carefully after washing the vehicle until the brakes have dried.

You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car wash from the very start.

Never clean your vehicle in a Touchless Automatic Car Wash as these use special cleaning agents. These cleaning agents can damage the paintwork or plastic parts.

If the vehicle is very dirty, pre-wash it before cleaning it in an automatic car wash.

Make sure that the automatic transmission is in position N when washing your vehicle in a tow-through car wash. The vehicle could be damaged if the transmission is in another position.

Make sure that:

• the side windows and the sliding sunroof are fully closed.
• the ventilation/heating is switched off (the OFF button has been pressed).
• the windshield wiper switch is in position 0.

Otherwise, the vehicle might be damaged.

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

Carefully remove all deposits of road salt as soon as possible when driving in winter.

Also, clean the insides of the wheels when washing the underbody of the vehicle.

• Do not use hot water and do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight.
• Use a soft car sponge for cleaning.
• Use a gentle cleaning agent, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz approved car shampoo.
• Wash down the vehicle with a gentle water jet.
• Do not point the water jet directly at the air inlets.
• Use plenty of water and rinse the sponge frequently.
• Rinse the vehicle with clean water and dry it thoroughly with a chamois.
• Do not allow the cleaning agent to dry on the paintwork.

Power washers

WARNING

Do not use power washers with circular-jet nozzles (dirt grinders) to clean your vehicle, in particular the tires. You could otherwise damage the tires and cause an accident.

Always maintain 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.

Move the power washer nozzle around when cleaning your vehicle.

Do not aim directly at any of the following:

• tires
• door gaps, roof gaps, joints etc.
• electrical components
• battery
• connectors
• lights
• seals
• trim elements
• ventilation slots

Damaged seals or electrical components can lead to leaks or failures.

Cleaning the wheels

Do not use acidic wheel cleaning products to remove brake dust. This could damage wheel bolts and brake components.

Do not park the vehicle for an extended period straight after cleaning it, particularly after having cleaned the wheels with wheel cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause increased corrosion of the brake discs and brake pads/linings. For this reason, you should drive for a few minutes after cleaning. Braking heats the brake discs and the brake pads/linings, thus drying them. The vehicle can then be parked.

Cleaning 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, e.g. an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

• Remove impurities immediately, where possible, whilst avoiding rubbing too hard.
• Soak insect remains with insect remover and rinse off the treated areas afterwards.
• Soak bird droppings with water and rinse off the treated areas afterwards.
• Remove coolant, brake fluid, tree resin, oils, fuels and greases by rubbing gently with a cloth soaked in petroleum ether or lighter fluid.
• Use tar remover to remove tar stains.
• Use silicone remover to remove wax.

Do not affix:

• stickers
• films
• magnetic plates or similar items to painted surfaces. You could otherwise damage the paintwork.

If water no longer forms "beads" on the paint surface, use the paint care products recommended 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 the paint has become dull, the paint cleaner recommended 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.

• Use a suitable touch-up stick, e.g. MB Touch-Up Stick, to correct smaller areas of paint damage quickly and provisionally.

Matte finish care

If your vehicle has a clear matte finish, observe the following instructions in order to avoid damage to the paintwork due to incorrect care.

These notes also apply to light alloy wheels with a clear matte finish.

Never polish the vehicle or the light alloy wheels. Polishing causes the finish to shine.

The following may cause the paint to become shiny and thus reduce the matte effect:

• Vigorous rubbing with unsuitable materials.
• Frequent use of car washes.
• Washing the vehicle in direct sunlight.

Never use paint cleaner, buffing or polishing products, or gloss preserver, e.g. wax. These products are only suitable for high-gloss surfaces. Their use on vehicles with matte finish leads to considerable surface damage (shiny, spotted areas).

Always have paintwork repairs performed at a qualified specialist workshop, e.g. an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

Do not use wash programs with a hot wax treatment under any circumstances.

The vehicle should preferably be washed by hand using a soft sponge, car shampoo and plenty of water.

Use only insect remover and car shampoo from the range of recommended and approved Mercedes-Benz care products.

Cleaning the windows

WARNING

Before cleaning the windshield or wiper blades, switch off the windshield wipers and remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock. On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, press the Start/Stop button repeatedly until all indicator lamps in the instrument cluster have gone out. The windshield wipers could otherwise move and injure you.

Only fold the windshield wipers away from the windshield when vertical. Otherwise, you will damage the hood.

• Clean the inside and outside of the windows with a damp cloth and a cleaning agent that is recommended and approved by Mercedes-Benz.

Do not use dry cloths, abrasive products, solvents or cleaning agents containing solvents 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 prevent water from draining away. This can lead to corrosion damage and damage to electronic components.

Cleaning the wiper blades

WARNING

Before cleaning the windshield or wiper blades, switch off the windshield wipers and remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock. On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, press the Start/Stop button repeatedly until all indicator lamps in the instrument cluster have gone out. The windshield wipers could otherwise move and injure you.

Only fold the windshield wipers away from the windshield when vertical. Otherwise, you will damage the hood.

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 graphite coating could be damaged. This could cause wiper noise.

• Fold the wiper arms away from the windshield.
• Carefully clean the wiper blades with a damp cloth.
• Fold the windshield wipers back again before switching on the ignition.

Hold the wiper arm securely when folding back. The windshield could be damaged if the wiper arm smacks against it suddenly.

Cleaning the exterior lighting

• Clean the plastic lenses of the exterior lights with a wet sponge and a mild cleaning agent, e.g. Mercedes-Benz car shampoo or cleaning cloths.

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 lenses.

Cleaning the sensors

• Clean sensors 1 of the driving systems with water, car shampoo and a soft cloth.

When cleaning the sensors with a power washer, maintain a distance between the vehicle and the nozzle of the power washer of at least 11.8 in (30 cm). Information about the correct distance is available from the equipment manufacturer.

Cleaning the rear view camera

• Use clear water and a soft cloth to clean camera lens 1.

Do not clean the camera lens and the area around the rear view camera with a power washer.

Cleaning the exhaust tail pipes

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 tail pipe by cleaning it regularly, especially in winter and after washing.

Do not clean the exhaust tail pipes with alkaline-based cleaning agents, such as wheel cleaner.

• Clean the exhaust tail pipes with a chrome care product tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz.

Cleaning the trailer tow hitch

The ball coupling must be cleaned if it becomes dirty or corroded.

• Remove rust on the ball of the ball coupling, e.g. with a wire brush.
• Remove dirt with a clean, lint-free cloth or a brush.
• After cleaning, lightly grease the ball of the ball coupling again.
• Check that the vehicle's trailer tow hitch is working properly.

Observe the note on care provided by the trailer manufacturer.

You can also have the maintenance work on the ball coupling and the trailer tow hitch carried out by a qualified specialist workshop.

Environmental note

Dispose of rags soaked in oil and grease in an environmentally responsible manner.

Interior care

Cleaning the display

• Before cleaning the display, make sure that it is switched off and has cooled down.
• Clean the display surface using a commercially-available microfiber cloth and TFT/LCD display cleaner.
• Dry the display surface using a dry microfiber cloth.

For cleaning, do not use any of the following:

• alcohol-based thinner or gasoline
• abrasive cleaning agents
• 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 damage to the display.

Cleaning the plastic trim

WARNING

When cleaning the steering wheel boss and dashboard, do not use cockpit sprays or cleaning agents containing solvents. Cleaning agents containing solvents cause the surface to become porous, and as a result, plastic parts may break away and be thrown around the interior when an air bag is deployed, which may result in severe injuries.

Do not affix the following to plastic surfaces:

• stickers
• films
• scented oil bottles or similar items

You can otherwise damage the plastic.

Do not allow cosmetics, insect repellent or sunscreen to come into contact with the plastic trim. This maintains the high-quality look of the surfaces.

• Wipe the plastic trim with a damp, lint-free cloth, e.g. a microfiber cloth.
• Heavy soiling: use car care and cleaning products 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

• Thoroughly wipe with a damp cloth or use leather care agents that have been recommended and approved by Mercedes- Benz.

Cleaning genuine wood and trim elements

• Wipe the wooden trim and trim pieces with a damp, lint-free cloth, e.g. a microfiber cloth.
• Heavy soiling: use car care and cleaning products recommended and approved by Mercedes-Benz.

Do not use solvent-based cleaning agents such as tar remover, wheel cleaners, polishes or waxes. There is otherwise a risk of damaging 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.

Cleaning the seat covers

Do not use microfiber cloths to clean genuine leather, artificial leather or Alcantara® covers. If used often, these can damage the cover.

Observe the following when cleaning:

• clean genuine leather covers carefully with a damp cloth and then wipe the covers down with a dry cloth. Make sure that the leather does not become soaked. It may otherwise become rough and cracked. Only use leather care agents that have been tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz. You can obtain these from a qualified specialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Service center.
• clean artificial leather covers with a cloth moistened with a solution containing 1% detergent (e.g. dish washing liquid).
• 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 sections 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.
• clean Alcantara® covers with a damp cloth. Make sure you wipe entire seat sections to avoid leaving visible lines.

Note that regular care is essential to ensure that the appearance and comfort of the covers is retained over time.

Cleaning the seat belts

• Use clean, lukewarm water and soap solution.

Do not clean the seat belts using chemical cleaning agents. Do not dry the seat belts by warming them above 176 ‡ (80 †) or placing them in direct sunlight.

WARNING

Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may severely weaken them. In a crash, they may not be able to provide adequate protection.

Cleaning the headliner and carpets

• Roof lining: use soft brushes or dry shampoo if it is particularly dirty.
• Carpets: use carpet and textile cleaners that have been approved and recommended by Mercedes-Benz.