2013 MERCEDES-BENZ GL-Class traction control

1, 2, 3 ...
115 Vsocket ...................................... 349
12 Vsocket
see Sockets
360° camera
Cleaning ........................................ .376
Function/notes ............................. 229
4ETS (Electronic Traction System) ....71
4MATIC (permanent four-wheel
drive) .................................................. 250A
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) Display message ............................ 287
Function/notes ................................ 66
Important safety notes ....................66
Warning lamp ................................. 323
Activating/deactivating cooling
with air dehumidification .................151
Active Blin dSpot Assist
Activating/deactivating (on-
board computer) ............................ 277
Display message ............................ 310
Function/informatio n.................... 241
Trailer towing ................................. 244
Active Curve System
Display message ............................ 307
Function/notes ............................. 213
Active Driving Assistance package .241
Active Lane Keeping Assist Activating/deactivating (on-
board computer) ............................ 277
Display message ............................ 310
Function/informatio n.................... 245
Trailer towing ................................. 247
Active light function .........................129
Active Parking Assist Display message ............................ 311
Function/notes ............................. 222
Important safety notes ..................221
Towing atrailer .............................. 225
ADAPTIVE BRAKE ................................. 73
Adaptive Brake Assist Display message ............................ 294
Function/notes ................................ 69 Adaptive Highbeam Assist
Display message ............................ 302
Function/notes ............................. 129
Switching on/off (on-board
computer) ...................................... 279
Additives (engine oil) ........................444
ADS (Adaptive Damping System) Function/notes ............................. 212
Airb ags
Display message ............................ 298
Front air bag (driver, front
passenger )....................................... 46
Important safety notes ....................44
Knee bag .......................................... 47
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp .................................. 48
Safety guidelines ............................. 43
Side impact airb ag.......................... 47
Windo wcurtain air bag .................... 48
Air-conditioning system
see Climate control
Airf ilter (display message) ..............305
AIRF LOW ........................................... 153
AIRMATIC package ADS (Adaptive Damping System) ...212
Function/notes ............................. 212
Level control .................................. 213
Airv ents
Glove box ....................................... 159
Important safet ynotes .................. 158
Rea r............................................... 159
Setting ........................................... 158
Setting the center air vents ...........158
Setting the side air vents ...............159
see Climate control
Alarm system
see ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
Ambient lighting
Setting the brightness (on-board
computer) ...................................... 279
Setting the color (on-board
computer) ...................................... 279
AMG adaptive sport suspension
system ................................................ 216
AMG menu (on-board computer) .....282
Anti-loc kbraking system
see ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) 4
Index

Manual ..........................................
.175
Off-road program (vehicles
without the ON&OFFROAD
package) ........................................ 252
Off-road program (vehicles with
the ON&OFFROAD package) ..........252
SETUP (on-board computer) ..........283
see On-road programs
Driver's door
see Doors
Driving abroad
Mercedes-Benz Service .................371
Symmetrical low bea m.................. 124
Driving in mountainous terrain
Approach/departure angl e............ 194
Driving lamps
see Daytime running lamps
Driving off-road
see Off-road driving
Driving safety systems
4ETS (Electronic Traction System) ...71
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) .......66
ADAPTIVE BRAKE ............................. 73
Adaptive Brake Assist ......................69
BAS (Brake Assist System) ..............67
BAS PLUS (Brake Assist System
PLUS) .............................................. .67
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST ....68
Distance warning function ...............68
Electronic brake force distribution ...73
ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Program) .70
Important safety information ...........66
Overview .......................................... 66
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake ............................ .73
STEER CONTROL ............................. 75
Driving systems
360°camera .................................. 229
Active Blind Spot Assist .................241
Active Curve System ......................213
Active Driving Assistance package 241
Active Lane Keeping Assist ............245
Active Parking Assist .....................221
ADS ............................................... 212
AIRMATIC package ........................212
AMG adaptive sport suspension
system ........................................... 216
ATTENTION ASSIST ........................234Blind Spot Assist ............................ 237
Cruise control
................................ 195
Display message ............................ 306
DISTRONI CPLUS ........................... 198
HOLD function ............................... 211
Lane Keeping Assist ......................239
Level control (vehicles with
AIRMATIC package) .......................213
Level control (vehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package) ................207
On-road programs .......................... 247
PARKTRONI C................................. 217
Rea rview camera .......................... 225
Driving tips
Automatic transmission .................172
Brakes ........................................... 187
Break-in period .............................. 162
DISTRONI CPLUS ........................... 206
Downhill gradient ........................... 187
Drinking and driving .......................186
Driving abroad ............................... 124
Driving in winter ............................ .190
Driving on flooded road s................ 189
Driving on sand .............................. 193
Driving on wet road s...................... 189
Driving over obstacles ...................193
Exhaus tcheck ............................... 186
Fuel ................................................ 186
General .......................................... 186
Hydroplaning ................................. 189
Icy road surfaces ........................... 190
Limited braking efficiency on
salted road s................................... 188
Off-road driving .............................. 191
Off-road fording ............................. 189
Snow chains .................................. 403
Symmetrical low bea m.................. 124
Tire ruts ......................................... 193
Towing atrailer .............................. 257
Traveling uphill ............................... 194
Wet road surface ........................... 187
DSR (Downhill Spee dRegulation)
Display message ............................ 309
Function/notes ............................. 250
DVD audio
Operating (on-board computer) .....274
DVD video
Operating (on-board computer) .....274 Index
9

or more wheels are braked to stabilize the
vehicle. The engine output is also modified to
keep the vehicle on the desired course within
physical limits. ESP ®
assists the driver when
pulling away on wet or slippery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilize the vehicle during braking.
4ETS (Electronic Traction System) 4ETS traction control is part of ESP
®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels
individually if they spin. This enables you to
pull away and accelerate on slippery surfaces,
for example if the road surface is slippery on
one side. In addition, more drive torque is
transferred to the wheel or wheels with
traction.
Traction control remains active, even if you
deactivate ESP ®
.
In appropriate driving situations, activate the
off-road program:
X Vehicles without the ON&OFFROAD
package (Y page 252)
X Vehicles with the ON&OFFROAD package
(Y page 252)
Off-road 4ETS (Electronic Traction
System) A4
ETS syste mspecifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once the off-
road program is activated on:
R Vehicles without the ON&OFFROAD
package (Y page 252)
R Vehicles with the ON&OFFROA Dpackage
(Y page 252)
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilize the vehicle .Additionally, further
driving safety systems are deactivated. This
increases the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop. !
Only operate the vehicle for a maximum
of ten seconds on a brake test
dynamometer. Switch off the ignition.
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may
otherwise destroy the brake system.
! A function or performance test should
only be carried out on atwo-axle
dynamometer. Before you operate the
vehicle on such a dynamometer, please
consult a qualified workshop .You could
otherwise damage the drive train or the
brake system.
ESP ®
is deactivated if the 0017warning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up
continuously when the engine is running.
If the 000F warning lamp and the 0017
warning lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not
available due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 325) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 287).
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tire sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
Characteristics of ESP ® General information
ESP
®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the 000FESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP ®
intervenes:
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any
circumstances.
X Only depress the accelerator pedal as far
as necessary when pulling away.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the
prevailing road and weather conditions. Driving safety systems
71Safety Z

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

X
Selector wheel 0002 engaged:
briefly press
selector wheel 0002.
Selector wheel 0002extends.
X To select: turn selector wheel 0002until
indicator lamp 0003comes on.
Trailer indicator 0021appears in the
multifunction display.
R Highway level is set.
R ADS (Adaptive Damping System) adapts
comfortable damping characteristics to
the current operating and driving
conditions.
R The automatic transmission selects the
automatic drive program for a
comfortable driving style that provides
for optimum fuel consumption, changing
gear at optimum points.
R While pulling away, the differential locks
are engaged. Off-road driving systems
4MATIC (permanent four-wheel drive) If you fail to adapt your driving style, 4MATIC
can neither reduce the risk of accident nor
override the laws of physics. 4MATIC cannot
take account of road, weather and traffic
conditions. 4MATIC is only an aid. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good
time and for staying in your lane.
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle
raised. This may damage the transfer case.
Damage of this sort is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. All
wheels must remain either on the ground
or be fully raised. Observe the instructions
for towing the vehicle with all wheels in full
contact with the ground.
! A function or performance test should
only be carried out on atwo-axle
dynamometer. Before you operate the
vehicle on such a dynamometer, please
consult a qualified workshop .You could otherwise damage the drive train or the
brake system.
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are
permanently driven. Together with ESP ®
and
4ETS, it improves the traction of your vehicle
whenever a drive wheel spins due to
insufficien tgrip.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if
you use winter tires (M+S tires), with snow
chains if necessary.
Further information about "Driving off-road"
(Y page 191).
DSR (Downhill Spee dRegulation) Important safety notes
DSR assists you when driving downhill. It
keeps the speed of travel at the speed set on
the on-board computer. The steeper the
downhill gradient, the greater the DSR
braking effect on the vehicle .When driving on
flat stretches of road or on an uphill gradient,
the DSR braking effect is minimal or
nonexistent.
DSR controls the set speed when it is active
and the automatic transmission is in the D,
R or Nposition. By accelerating or braking,
you can always drive at a higher or a lower
speed than that set on the on-board
computer.
Further information about "Driving off-road"
(Y page 191).
If you fail to adapt your driving style, DSR can
neither reduce the risk of accident nor
override the laws of physics. DSR cannot take
account of road, weather and traffic
conditions. DSR is only an aid. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good
time and for staying in your lane.
You are always responsible for keeping
control of the vehicle and for assessing
whether the downhill gradient can be
managed. DSR may not always be able to
keep to the set speed, depending on road 250
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Off-road program 1
X
Selector wheel 0002 engaged:
briefly press
selector wheel 0002.
Selector wheel 0002extends.
X To select: turn selector wheel 0002until
indicator lamp 0003comes on.
Off-road indicator 0021appears in the
multifunction display.
Off-road level 1 is set to +1.2 in (+30 mm)
above the highway level.
If you drive at a speed above 70 mph
(110 km/h), off-road program 1 switches to
AUTO program.
Select off-road program 1 for gentle off-road
terrain, e.g. for gravel or sand surfaces or
tracks. The engine's torque is restricted to a
limited degree and the drive wheels can spin.
The spinning wheels produce acutting effect
for better traction.
You can only activate off-road program 1
when driving at speeds below 60 mph
(100 km/h). The Drive Program OFFROAD 1 Max Speed 60 mph (100 km/h ) message
appears in the multifunction display. Off-road program 2
X
Selector wheel 0002 engaged:
briefly press
selector wheel 0002.
Selecto rwheel 0002extends.
X To select: turn selector wheel 0002until
indicator lamp 0003comes on.
Off-road indicator 0021appears in the
multifunction display.
R Off-road level 1 is set to +2.4 in
(+60 mm) above the highway level.
R DSR is switched on.
R The differential lock is closed.
Off-road program 2automatically switches to
off-road program 1 if you drive faster than
30 mph (45 km/h).
Select off-road program 2 for rough terrain,
e.g. for steep and/o rrough terrain or driving
on rocky terrain.
i Your vehicle has an automatically
activated differential lock for the transfer
case. It controls the balance between the
front and rear axles. Driving systems
253Driving and parking Z

The differential lock improves the vehicle’s
traction. 4ETS (Y
page 71) controls the
balance between both wheels on an axle.
You can only activate off-road program 2
when driving at speeds below 25 mph
(40 km/h).
LOW RANGE off-road gear (vehicles
with the ON&OFFROAD package) Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you select the LOW RANGE off-road gear on
a slippery road surface, the wheels could lose
traction:
R if you remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal when driving
R if off road ABS intervenes when braking
If the wheels lose traction. the vehicle can no
longer be steered. There is an increased
danger of skidding and accidents.
Never select the LOW RANGE off-road gear
when driving on slippery road surfaces. G
WARNING
If you do not wait for the transfer case gear
change process to complete, the transfer
case could remain in the neutral position. The
power transmission to the driven wheels is
then interrupted. There is a danger of the
vehicle rolling away unintentionally. There is
a risk of an accident.
Wait until the transfer case shift process is
completed.
Do not turn off the engine while changing gear
and do not shift the automatic transmission
to another position. General notes 0002
LOW RANGE off-road gear button
0003 LOW RANGE off-road gear indicator lamp HIGH RANGE
Position for all normal on-
road driving conditions
LOW RANGE
Off-road position for
driving off-road and
fording
The transmission ratio
between the engine and
wheels is only
approximately one third of
that in the HIGH RANGE
road position. Drive torque
is thus proportionately
higher.
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 mounted
snow chains to your
vehicle 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.254
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
0001 Solutions
Check Tires The tire pressure in one or more tires has dropped significantly.
The wheel position is displayed in the multifunction display.
Aw
arning tone also sounds.
G WARNING
With tire pressures which are too low, there is a ris kofthe
following hazards:
R they may burst, especially as the load and vehicle speed
increase.
R they may wear excessively and/or unevenly, which may greatly
impair tire traction.
R the driving characteristics, as well as steering and braking, may
be greatly impaired.
There is a risk of an accident.
X Stop the vehicle without making any sudden steering or braking
maneuvers. Pay attention to the traffic conditions as you do so.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away (Y page 183).
X Check the tires and, if necessary, follow the instructions for a
flat tire (Y page 383).
X Check the tire pressure (Y page 408).
X If necessary, correct the tire pressure. Warning Tire
Malfunction The tire pressure in one or more tires has dropped suddenly. The
wheel position is shown in the multifunction display.
G WARNING
If you drive with a flat tire, there is a risk of the following hazards:
R A flat tire affects the ability to steer or brake the vehicle.
R You could lose control of the vehicle.
R Continued driving with a flat tire will cause excessive heat build-
up and possibly a fire.
There is a risk of an accident.
X Stop the vehicle without making any sudden steering or braking
maneuvers. Pay attention to the traffic conditions as you do so.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away (Y page 183).
X Check the tires and, if necessary, follow the instructions for a
flat tire (Y page 383). Display messages
315On-board computer and displays Z