2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL-Class Abs esp

conditions. Only these tires will allow driving
safety systems such as ABS and ESP ®
to
function optimally in winter, as these tires
have been designed specifically for driving on
snow.
Use M+S tires of the same make and tread on
all wheels to maintain safe handling
characteristics.GWARNING
M+S tires with a tread depth of less than 1
/ 6
inch (4 mm) must be replaced immediately.
They are no longer suitable for use in winter.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed specified for the M+S tires you have
mounted.
Once you have mounted the winter tires:
XCheck the tire pressures ( Y page 345).XRestart the tire pressure monitor
( Y page 347).GWARNING
If you use your spare wheel when M+S tires
are mounted on the other wheels, be aware
that the difference in tire characteristics
impairs cornering ability and reduces driving
stability. Adapt your driving style accordingly.
Have the spare wheel replaced by a normal
wheel with an M+S tire at the nearest
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Snow chains
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you only use snow chains
which have been specially approved for your
vehicle by Mercedes-Benz, or are of a
corresponding standard of quality.
! Vehicles with the Adaptive Damping
System (ADS): do not drive in ADS SPORT
mode if snow chains have been mounted.
The vehicle may otherwise be damaged.
! There is not enough space for snow
chains on some wheel sizes. Observe the
information under "Tires and wheels" in the
"Technical Data" section to avoid damage
to the vehicle or the wheels.
R Only use snow chains when driving on
roads completely covered by snow. Do not
exceed the maximum permissible speed of
30 mph (50 km/h). Remove the snow
chains as soon as possible when you are no
longer driving on snow-covered roads.
R Local regulations may restrict the use of
snow chains. Applicable regulations must
be observed if you wish to mount snow
chains.
R Snow chains must not be mounted on
emergency spare wheels.
If you intend to mount snow chains, please
bear the following points in mind:
R you may not attach snow chains to all
wheel-tire combinations; see the
information under "Wheel and tire
combinations" in the "Wheels and tires"
section.
R mount snow chains only in pairs and only
to the rear wheels. Observe the
manufacturer's installation instructions.
! If snow chains are mounted on the front
wheels, the snow chains could grind
against the bodywork or components of the
chassis. This could result in damage to the
vehicle or the tires.
! Vehicles with steel wheels: if you wish
to install snow chains to steel wheels, make
sure that you remove the respective
wheels' hubcaps first. The hubcaps may
otherwise be damaged.
i You may wish to deactivate
ESP ®
(Y page 69) when pulling away with
snow chains mounted. This way you can
allow the wheels to spin in a controlled
manner, achieving an increased driving
force (cutting action).Driving tips173Driving and parkingZ

Slippery road surfacesGWARNING
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the
freezing point do not guarantee that the road
surface is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
GWARNING
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift in
order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehicle
control. Your vehicle's ABS will not prevent
this type of control loss.
Do not engage the transfer case in position
LOW when driving on ice or packed snow. At
speeds below 18 mph (30 km/h) vehicle
steering is adversely affected by the Off-road
ABS.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery road
surfaces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steering
and braking maneuvers. Do not use cruise
control.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
XShift the transmission to position N.
i
For more information on driving with
snow chains, see ( Y page 173).
GWARNING
Make sure that you do not endanger other
road users when you apply the brakes.
Off-road driving
Important safety notes
GWARNING
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 brakes have been exposed to dirty
conditions, have them checked and cleaned
at a qualified specialist workshop, e.g. an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Otherwise, there is a risk that braking power
may be insufficient in the event of an
emergency, or that the braking effect may be
unpredictable.GWARNING
Do not load items on the crossbars. It may
cause instability during some maneuvers
which could result in an accident.
Drive slowly in unknown terrain. This will
make it easier to recognize unexpected
obstacles and avoid damage to the vehicle.
To help avoid the vehicle rolling over, never
turn it around on steep inclines. If the vehicle
cannot complete the attempted climb, back it
down in reverse gear.
Do not drive along the side of a slope. The
vehicle might otherwise rollover. If in doing so
the vehicle begins to show a tendency to roll,
immediately steer into a line of gravity
(straight up or downhill).
Never let the vehicle roll backwards in idle.
You may lose control of the vehicle if you use
only the service brake. For information on
driving downhill, see "Driving downhill".
GWARNING
Please be aware that by raising the vehicle
level, the center of gravity also rises.
Therefore, always ensure that the vehicle
level is as low as possible. With higher ride
height the ESP ®
may activate earlier in certain
situations.
GWARNING
Do not reduce the tire inflation pressure
before driving through sand. However, if you
do so, remember to correct the tire inflation
pressure before continuing your trip. Driving
with reduced tire inflation pressure increases
174Driving tipsDriving and parking

the risk of losing control of the vehicle and
rolling over.
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:
R off-road drive program (for vehicles without
Off-Road Pro engineering package)
( Y page 206)
R LOW RANGE off-road gear ( Y page 206)
R off-road ABS ( Y page 69)
R off-road 4ETS ( Y page 70)
R off-road ESP ®
(Y page 71)
R hill start assist
R differential locks ( Y page 208)
R DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
( Y page 204)
Observe the following notes:
R Stop your vehicle and, if necessary, select
the off-road drive program (Y page 206) or
the LOW RANGE off-road gear
( Y page 206) before driving off-road.
R Select a vehicle level suitable for the off-
road terrain. Make sure there is always
sufficient ground clearance to prevent
damage to the vehicle.
R Activate the differential locks.
R Check that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
( Y page 272).
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient.
Activate DSR ( Y page 204).
R Always keep the doors, tailgate, windows
and sliding sunroof closed while driving.
R Adapt your speed to the terrain. The
rougher, steeper or more ruts on the
terrain, the slower your speed should be.
R Drive slowly and at an even speed through
the water. Ensure that a bow wave does not
form as you drive.
R Drive with extreme care on unknown off-
road routes where visibility is poor. For
safety reasons, get out of the vehicle first
and survey the off-road route.
R Look out for obstacles such as rocks, holes,
tree stumps and furrows.
R Check the depth of water before fording
rivers and streams.
R When fording, do not stop and do not
switch off the engine.
R On sand, drive quickly to overcome the
rolling resistance. Otherwise, the vehicle
could dig itself into the sand.
R Do not jump with the vehicle as this will
interrupt the vehicle's propulsion.
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a slope.
R Do not shift the automatic transmission to
transmission position N.
Checklist before driving off-roadXEngine 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.
! If the engine oil warning lamp lights up
while the vehicle is in motion, stop the
vehicle in a safe place as soon as possible.
Check the engine oil level. The engine oil
warning lamp warning must not be ignored.
Continuing the journey while the symbol is
displayed could lead to engine damage.
XWheel-changing tool kit: check that the
jack is working and make sure you have theDriving tips175Driving and parkingZ

GWARNING
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.
i Hill start assist will aid you when pulling away on a hill.
For more information, see "Hill start assist" ( Y page 151).
Maximum gradient-climbing capability
For good road surface conditions, the
maximum gradient-climbing capability 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.
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, making it easier to drive off.
i Vehicles with the Enhanced Off-Road
Package have a differential lock for the
transfer case and a differential lock for the
rear axle to improve vehicle traction.
Brow of hill
When driving up an uphill gradient, slightly
reduce pressure on the accelerator
immediately before reaching the brow of the
hill. Use the vehicle's own impetus to drive
over the top of the hill.
This style of driving prevents:
R the vehicle from lifting off the ground on the
brow of a hill
R loss of traction
R the vehicle from traveling too quickly down
the other side
Driving downhill
R Drive slowly.
R Do 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.
R Before tackling steep downhill gradients,
select shift range 1.
R Activate 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.
R Check that the brakes are working normally
after a long downhill stretch.
i The special off-road ABS setting enables
a precise, brief and repeated locking of the
front wheels, causing them to dig into the
loose earth. Be aware that the front wheels
easily skid across the ground surface if
completely braked and therefore lose their
ability to steer.
Driving systems
Cruise control
Important safety notes
Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding the set speed. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden or towing a trailer, you must
select shift range 1, 2 or 3 in good time. By
doing so, you will make use of the braking
effect of the engine, which relieves the load
on the brake system and prevents the brakes
from overheating and wearing too quickly.
Driving systems179Driving and parkingZ

Off-road drive program
i The off-road drive program is available
only in vehicles without the Off-Road Pro
engineering package.
The off-road drive program assists you in
driving off-road. The engine’s performance
characteristics and the gearshifting
characteristics of the automatic transmission
are adapted for this purpose. ABS, ESP ®
and
4 ETS programs especially adapted to off-
road driving are also activated.
Do not use the off-road drive program on
roads that are covered in snow or icy or if you
have installed snow chains on your vehicle.
For information about driving off-road, see
( Y page 174).XTo activate: press off-road button :.
Indicator lamp ; lights up. Off-road
indicator = appears in the multifunction
display.XTo activate: press off-road button :.
Indicator lamp ; and off-road indicator
= go out.LOW RANGE off-road gear
General notes
The LOW RANGE off-road gear assists you in
driving off-road and when fording. When LOW
RANGE is engaged, the engine’s performance
characteristics and the gearshifting
characteristics of the automatic transmission
are adapted for this purpose. ABS, ESP ®
and
4 ETS programs especially adapted to off-
road driving are also activated.
Information on "Off-road driving"; see
( Y page 174) . You will find information about
driving safety systems in conjunction with
LOW RANGE in the "Safety" section
( Y page 67).
Shift ranges
HIGH RANGERoad position for all
normal driving situationsLOW RANGEOff-road position for
driving off-road and
fording
The gear ratio between the
engine and wheels is only
approximately one third of
that in the HIGH RANGE
road position. The drive
torque is correspondingly
higher as a result.
Do not use LOW RANGE:
R on slippery road
surfaces, e.g. in the case
of slush
R on snow or ice-covered
roads
R if you have snow chains
on your vehicleGWARNING
Always wait until the procedure of shifting
from HIGH RANGE to LOW RANGE – and from
LOW RANGE to HIGH RANGE – has been
entirely completed. During this procedure do
206Off-road driving systemsDriving and parking

process has not been completed. LOW
RANGE is in the neutral position. There is no
connection between the engine and the drive
wheels.
! Do not drive any further, otherwise you
could damage the vehicle’s drive train.XStop the vehicle. Take into account the
road and traffic conditions when doing this.XDepress the parking brake.XCarry out the gear change process again.
If the gear change process has been carried
out, the Stop vehicle Apply parking
brake message disappears.
Differential lock
General notes
i Differential locks are available only in
vehicles with the Off-Road Pro engineering
package.
Your vehicle is equipped with the following:
R A differential lock for the transfer box: this
controls the balance between the front and
rear axles.
R A differential lock for the rear axle: this
controls the balance between the wheels
and the rear axle.
Differential locks improve the vehicle's
traction. 4ETS ( Y page 70) controls the
balance between the wheels on the front axle.
For information about driving off-road, see
( Y page 174).
Information on differential and
differential locks
When the vehicle drives around a corner, the
wheels on the outside of the bend must cover
a greater distance and must therefore turn
more rapidly than the wheels on the inside.
The differential, a transmission in the drive
train, compensates for these different
rotational speeds, making cornering possible.
A differential has the disadvantage that the
wheels with the least road grip are driven with
the greatest force. An example: a wheel of a
driven axle is on a snow-covered surface and
therefore does not have any traction. The
differential causes this wheel to be subjected
to the strongest driving force, as the flow of
force takes the path of least resistance. On
the other hand, the opposite wheel on this
axle, which is located on a firm surface and
could therefore make traction possible, does
not receive any driving force. 4ETS rectifies
this disadvantage and provides good
steerability by braking the spinning wheel
automatically and therefore channeling more
driving force to the wheel that is on a firm
surface and that can therefore supply
traction.
ESP ®
and 4ETS are traction systems that are
ideally suited for driving on roads and on
gentle terrain. The LOW RANGE off-road gear
also improves off-road capability.
Difficult terrain conditions require further
more extensive measures such as the locking
of one or more differentials. Your vehicle is
equipped with two differential locks: one
(central) differential lock for the transfer case
and one differential lock for the rear axle.
Each differential lock can be activated with
the selector wheel on the center console.
When the (central) differential for the transfer
case is locked, the speed of the front wheels
is just as high as the speed of the rear wheels.
If the differential for the rear axle is locked,
both rear wheels turn at the same speed,
regardless of their individual torques. Please
note that activating the differential locks
severely restricts the vehicle's steerability.
For your own safety, the safety of others and
to prevent damage to your vehicle, the
differential locks must not be activated on
paved roads. Please note that the function of
the differential is absolutely necessary for
driving on paved roads and that the
differentials must not be locked on paved
roads under any circumstances. The
steerability of the vehicle would otherwise be208Off-road driving systemsDriving and parking

lost and steering would no longer be possible.
The differential locks must therefore only be
activated off-road and only if activating the
other driving systems (4ETS, ESP ®
and LOW
Range off-road gear) is no longer sufficient.
Engaging the differential locks
! Pull away slowly when the differential
locks are activated.
Function or performance tests may only be
performed on a 2-axle dynamometer. If you
wish to operate the vehicle on such a
dynamometer, please consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
beforehand. You could otherwise damage
the drive train or the brake system.
Automatic mode
Use automatic mode ; for all driving
situations, including driving off-road or when
fording.
In automatic mode, the differential locks are
engaged and disengaged according to driving
requirements. This guarantees sufficient
traction for most driving situations with
unrestricted vehicle steerability.
XStart the engine.
The differential locks are in automatic
mode. The indicator lamp in selector
wheel : lights up above symbol for
automatic mode ;.Engaging manuallyGWARNING
Never drive on a paved surface with the center
and rear axle differential locks manually
engaged. Ability to steer the vehicle is greatly
reduced when the differential locks are
manually engaged, increasing the risk of an
accident.
For safety reasons, the locks are
automatically released at a vehicle speed
above 31 mph (50 km/h). Nevertheless, you
should only manually lock the differential if
absolutely necessary because engaged locks
will restrict the vehicle drivetrain while
cornering and cause the vehicle to chatter.
This could cause you to lose control of the
vehicle and cause an accident.
! The differential locks must not be
activated when the vehicle is being towed
or while the wheels are spinning.
Only engage the differential locks manually if
traction in automatic mode is insufficient.
The differential locks can be activated
manually up to a speed of 19 mph
(30 km/h).
XStart the engine.XTurn selector wheel : to desired position
= or ?.
The indicator lamp in selector wheel :
lights up at the corresponding symbol.
The engaged differential appears in the
multifunction display:
AThe differential lock for the transfer case
is locked.
If you have not previously selected the off-
road menu ( Y page 222) in the on-board
Off-road driving systems209Driving and parkingZ

Safety systemsDisplay messagesPossible causes/consequences and M Solutions!÷
Unavailable See
Operator's ManualGRisk of accident
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), ESP ®
(Electronic Stability
Program), BAS (Brake Assist), PRE-SAFE ®
, hill start assist and
ESP ®
trailer stabilization are temporarily not available.
In addition, the ÷, å and ! warning lamps light up in
the instrument cluster.
The self-diagnosis function might not be complete, for example.
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above. The wheels could therefore lock if you
brake hard, for example.
XCarefully drive a suitable distance making slight steering
movements at a speed above 12 mph (20 km/h).
If the display message disappears, the functions mentioned
above are available again.
If the display message continues to be displayed:
XDrive on carefully.XVisit a qualified specialist workshop.GRisk of accident
ABS, ESP ®
, BAS, PRE-SAFE ®
, hill start assist and ESP ®
trailer
stabilization are temporarily not available.
In addition, the ÷, å and ! warning lamps light up in
the instrument cluster.
For example, the on-board voltage may be insufficient.
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above. The wheels could therefore lock if you
brake hard, for example.
XDrive on carefully.
If the display message disappears, the functions mentioned
above are available again.
If the display message continues to be displayed:
XDrive on carefully.XVisit a qualified specialist workshop.Display messages233On-board computer and displaysZ