2013 MERCEDES-BENZ GL-Class trailer

to lose tractio
nand the vehicle could then
skid
R when there is poor visibility, e.g .due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
General 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 shif trange 1,2or 3in 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.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic
conditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can
store any road speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h).
i Cruise control should no tbeactivated
during off-road driving.
Cruise control lever 0002
To activate or increase speed
0003 To activate or reduce speed
0021 To deactivate cruise control
0020 To activate at the current speed/last
stored speed
Whe nyou activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display for five seconds. In the multifunction display,
the segments between the stored speed and
the maximum speed light up.
Activation conditions To activate cruise control, all of the following
activation conditions must be fulfilled:
R
the electric parking brake must be
released.
R you are driving faster than 20mph
(30 km/h).
R ESP ®
must be active, but not intervening.
R the transmission must be in position D.
R DSR must be deactivated.
R off-road program 2 must be deactivated
(vehicles with the ON&OFFROAD package).
Storing, maintaining and calling up a
speed Storing and maintaining
aspeed X
Accelerate the vehicle to the desired
speed.
X Briefly press the cruise control lever
up 0002 or down 0003.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Cruise control is activated. The vehicle
automatically maintains the stored speed.
You can accept the current speed if you are
driving faster than 20 mph (30 km/h).
i Cruise control may be unable to maintain
the stored speed on uphill gradients. The 196
Driving systemsDriving and parking

front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good
time and for staying in you
rlane.
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constan tspeed e.g.
in heavy traffic or on winding roads
R on slippery road surfaces .Braking or
accelerating could cause the drive wheels
to lose traction and the vehicle could then
skid
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow
vehicles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or
vehicles driving on a different line.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other rada rsources
R strong radar reflections, for example, in
parking garages
If DISTRONIC PLUS no longer detects a
vehicle in front, DISTRONIC PLUS may
unexpectedly accelerate the vehicle to the
stored speed.
This speed may:
R be too high if you are driving in a filter lane
or an exit lane
R be so high when driving in the right-hand
lane that you overtake vehicles in the left-
hand lane
R be so high when driving in the left-hand lane
that you overtake vehicles in the right-hand
lane
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
General notes DISTRONIC PLUS regulates the speed and
automatically helps you maintain the
distance to the vehicle detected in front. DISTRONIC PLUS brakes automatically so
that the set speed is not exceeded.
On long and steep downhill gradients,
especially if the vehicle is laden or towing a
trailer, you must select shift range
1,2or 3
in good time. By doing so, you will make use
of the braking effect of the engine, This
relieves the load on the brake system and
prevents the brakes from overheating and
wearing too quickly.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a slower-moving
vehicle in front, your vehicle is braked in order
to maintain the preset distance to the vehicle
in front.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that there is a risk
of a collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically. DISTRONIC PLUS cannot
prevent a collision without your intervention.
An intermittent warning tone will then sound
and the distance warning lamp will light up in
the instrument cluster. Brake immediately in
order to increase the distance to the vehicle
in front or take evasive action provided it is
safe to do so.
For DISTRONIC PLUS to assist you when
driving, the radar sensor system must be:
R activated (Y page 281)
R operational
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control in the speed range between 20 mph
(Canada: 30 km/h) and120 mph (Canada:
200 km/h). If a vehicle is driving in front of
you, it operates in the speed range between
0 mph (0 km/h) and 120 mph (Canada:
200 km/h).
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS while driving on
roads with steep gradients.
As DISTRONIC PLUS transmits radar waves,
it can resemble the radar detectors of the
responsible authorities. You can refer to the
relevant chapter in the Operator's Manual if
questions are asked about this.
i USA only: Driving systems
199Driving and parking Z

Activating the HOLD function
X
Make sure that the activation conditions
are met.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Quickly depress the brake pedal further
until 0001 appears in the multifunction
display.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
i If depressing the brake pedal the first
time does not activate the HOLD function,
wait briefly and then try again.
Deactivating the HOLD function The HOLD function is deactivated
automatically if:
R you accelerate and the transmission is in
position Dor R
R you shif tthe transmission to position P
R you depress the brake pedal again with a
certain amount of pressure until 0001
disappears from the multifunction display
R you secure the vehicle using the electric
parking brake
R you activate DISTRONIC PLUS
i After a time, the electric parking brake
secures the vehicle and relieves the service
brake.
The electric parking brake automatically
secures the vehicle if the HOLD function is
activated and:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened.
R the engine is switched off.
R a system malfunction occurs.
R the power supply is not sufficient.
On steep uphill or downhill inclines or if there
is a malfunction, the transmission may also
be automatically shifted into position P. AIRMATIC package
General notes AIRMATIC regulates the level of your vehicle.
As well as level control (Y
page 213), your
vehicle can be equipped with ADS (Adaptive
Damping System) (Y page 212) and ACTIVE
CURVE SYSTEM (Y page 213).
Observe the notes on driving with a trailer
(Y page 257).
ADS (Adaptive Damping System) General notes
ADS adapts the damping characteristics to
the current operating and driving situation.
This depends on:
R
your driving style
R the road surface conditions
R the ADS setting
R the vehicle level setting
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
Sports tuning Example: vehicles without the ON&OFFROAD
package
0002
Suspension tuning button
0003 Indicator lamp for sports tuning
0021 Indicator lamp for comfort tuning
X Start the engine. 212
Driving systemsDriving and parking

maneuvering, parking or pulling out of a
parking space, make sure that there are no
persons, animals or objects in the area in
which you are maneuvering.
! When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars.
PARKTRONIC does not detect such objects
when they are in the immediate vicinity of
the vehicle. You could damage the vehicle
or the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and other
objects that absorb ultrasonic waves.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic
car wash, the compressed-air brakes on a
truck or a pneumatic drill could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when
you:
R switch on the ignition
R shift the transmission to position D,Ror N
R release the electric parking brake
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18km/h). It is reactivated at lower
speeds.
PARKTRONIC monitors the area around your
vehicle using six sensors in the front bumper
and four sensors in the rear bumper. 0002
Sensors in the front bumper, left-hand
side (example) Range of the sensors General notes
PARKTRONIC does not take objects into
consideration that are:
R
below the detection range, e.g. people,
animals or objects
R above the detection range, e.g.
overhanging loads, truck overhangs or
loading ramps. Side view
Top view
The sensors must be free from dirt, ice or
slush. They can otherwise not function
correctly. Clean the sensors regularly, taking
care not to scratch or damage them
(Y
page 375).
Front sensors Center Approx. 40i
n(approx.
100cm) Corners Approx. 24in (approx.
60cm)218
Driving systemsDriving and parking

i
PARKTRONIC is automatically activated
when you turn the SmartKey to position 2
in the ignition lock.
Towing atrailer !
Fold in the ball coupling if the trailer tow
hitch is not required .PARKTRONIC
measures the minimu mdetection range to
an obstacle from the bumper, not the ball
coupling.
PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area
when you establish an electrical connection
between your vehicle and a trailer. 220
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Parking tips:
R
On narrow roads, drive as close to the
parking space as possible.
R Parking spaces that are littered, overgrown
or partially occupied by trailer drawbars
might be identified incorrectly or not at all.
R Snowfall or heavy rain may lead to a parking
space being measured inaccurately.
R Pay attention to the PARKTRONIC
(Y page 219) warning messages during the
parking procedure.
R When transporting a load which protrudes
from your vehicle, you should not use
Active Parking Assist.
R Never use Active Parking Assist when snow
chains are installed.
R Make sure that the tire pressures are
always correct. This has adirec tinfluence
on the parking characteristics of the
vehicle.
General notes Active Parking Assist is an electronic parking
aid with ultrasound. Ultrasound is used to
measure the road on both sides of the vehicle.
As
uitable parking space is indicated by the
parking symbol. Active steering intervention
can assis tyou during parking.
You may also use PARKTRONIC
(Y page 217). When PARKTRONIC is switched
off, Active Parking Assist is also unavailable.
Use Active Parking Assist for parking spaces:
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
R that are on straight roads, not bends
R that are on the same level as the road, e.g.
not on the pavement
Detecting parking spaces G
WARNING
If there are objects above the detection range,
Active Parking Assist may turn prematurely.
You may cause a collision as a result. There is
a risk of an accident. If there are objects above the detection range,
stop and deactivate Active Parking Assist.
Objects located above the height range of
Active Parking Assist will not be detected
when the parking space is measured. These
are not taken into account when the parking
procedure is calculated, e.g. overhanging
loads, tail sections or loading ramps of goods
vehicles. In some circumstances, Active
Parking Assist may therefore guide you into
the parking space too early. 0002
Detected parking space on the left
0003 Parking symbol
0021 Detected parking space on the right
Active Parking Assist is switched on
automatically when driving forwards. The
system is operational at speeds of up to
approximately 22 mph (35 km/h) .While in
operation, the system independently locates
and measures parking spaces on both sides
of the vehicle. When driving at speeds below
19 mph (30 km/h), you will see the parking
symbol as a status indicator in the instrument
cluster. By default, Active Parking Assist only
displays parking spaces on the front-
passenger side. Parking spaces on the
driver's side are displayed as soon as the turn
signal on the driver's side is activated. To park
on the driver's side, you must leave the
driver's side turn signal switched on. This
must remain switched on until you
acknowledge the use of Active Parking Assist
by pressing the 000Bbutton on the
multifunction steering wheel.
When a parking space has been detected, an
arrow towards the right or the left also
appears. 222
Driving systemsDriving and parking

message appears in the multifunction
display.
or
X Press the PARKTRONIC button on the
center console (Y page 219).
PARKTRONIC is switched off and Active
Parking Assist is immediatel ycanceled.
The Park Assist Canceled message
appears in the multifunction display.
Active Parking Assist is canceled
automatically if:
R parking using Active Parking Assist is no
longer possible.
R you are driving faster than 6mph
(10 km/h).
R a wheel spins, ESP ®
intervenes or fails .The
000F warning lamp lights up in the
instrument cluster.
Aw arning tone sounds. The parking symbol
disappears and the multifunction display
shows the Park Assist Canceled message.
When Active Parking Assist is canceled, you
must steer again yourself.
Towing
atrailer For vehicles with a trailer tow hitch, the
minimum length for parking spaces is slightly
increased.
If you have attached a trailer to your vehicle,
you should not use Active Parking Assist.
Once the electrical connectio nis established
between your vehicle and the trailer, Active
Parking Assist is no longer available.
PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area. Rear view camera
Important safety notes The rear view camera is only an aid. It is not
a replacement for your attention to your
immediate surroundings. You are always
responsible for safe maneuvering and
parking. When maneuvering or parking, make sure that there are no persons, animals or
objects in the area in which you are
maneuvering.
Under the following circumstances, the rear
view camera will not function, or will function
in a limited manner:
R the tailgate is open
R in heavy rain, snow or fog
R at night or in very dark places
R if the camera is exposed to very bright light
R if the area is lit by fluorescent light or LED
lighting (the display may flicker)
R if there is a sudden change in temperature,
e.g. when driving into a heated garage in
winter
R if the camera lens is dirty or obstructed
R if the rear of your vehicle is damaged.In
this event, have the camera positio nand
setting checked at a qualified specialist
workshop.
General notes Rear view camera
0002is in the handle on the
tailgate.
Rear view camera 0002is an optical parking and
maneuvering aid. It shows the area behind
your vehicle with guide lines in the COMAND
display.
The area behind the vehicle is displayed as a
mirror image, as in the rear view mirror.
i The text of messages shown in the
COMAND display depends on the language
setting. The following are examples of rear Driving systems
225Driving and parking Z

view camera messages in the COMAND
display.
Activating/deactivating the rear view
camera X
To activate: make sure that the SmartKey
is in position 2in the ignition lock.
X Make sure that the function "show rear
view camera display" is selected in
COMAND.
X Engage reverse gear.
The area behind the vehicle is show ninthe
COMAND display with guide lines.
X To change the function mode for
vehicles with trailer tow hitch: using the
COMAND controller, select symbol 0002for
the "Reverse parking" function or
symbol 0003for "Coupling up a trailer" (see
the separate COMAND operating
instructions).
The symbol of the selected function is
highlighted.
To deactivate: the rear view camera is
deactivated if you:
R shift the transmission to position P
R drive forwards 33 ft (10 m)
R shift the transmission from Rto another
position (after 15 seconds)
R drive forwards at a speed of over 5mph
(10km/h) Displays in the COMAND display The rear view camera may show a distorted
view of obstacles, show them incorrectly or
not at all. The rear view camera does not show
objects in the following positions:
R
very close to the rear bumper
R under the rear bumper
R in the area immediately above the tailgate
handle
! Objects not at ground level may appear to
be further away than they actually are, e.g.:
R the bumper of a parked vehicle
R the drawbar of a trailer
R the ball coupling of a trailer tow hitch
R the rear section of an HGV
R a slanted post
Use the guidelines only for orientation.
Approach objects no further than the
bottom-most guideline. 0002
White guide line without turning the
steering wheel, vehicle width including
the exterior mirrors (static)
0003 Yellow guide line at a distance of
approximately 13 ft (4.0m) from the rear
of the vehicle
0021 Red guide line for the vehicle width
including the exterior mirrors, for current
steering wheel angle (dynamic)
0020 Yellow lane marking tires at current
steering wheel angle (dynamic) 226
Driving systemsDriving and parking