2013 MERCEDES-BENZ GLA SUV ESP

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Vehicles with a petrol
engine:
the engine is not run-
ning smoothly and is
misfiring. There is a malfunction in the engine electronics or in a mechanical
component of the engine management system.
X Only depress the accelerator pedal slightly.
Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic con-
verter and damage it.
X Have the cause rectified immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop. The coolant tempera-
ture display is showing
more than 120 †. The
coolant warning lamp
may also be on and a
warning tone may
sound. The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine
is no longer being cooled sufficiently.
X Stop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant to
cool down.
X Check the coolant level (Y page 320). Observe the warning
notes as you do so and top up the coolant if necessary. If the coolant level is correct, the engine radiator fan may be faulty.
The coolant is too hot and the engine is no longer being cooled
sufficiently.
X If the coolant temperature is below 120 †, you can continue
driving to the nearest qualified specialist workshop.
X Avoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving in
mountainous terrain and stop-start traffic. Manual transmission
Gear lever
! Only engage gear when the clutch pedal is
depressed.
! When shifting to
5thand 6thgear, you
must press the shift lever to the right. Oth- erwise, you could shift unintentionally into
3rd or4th gear and damage the engine or
transmission.
If you shift down at too high a speed (trans-
mission braking), this can cause the engine
to overrev, leading to engine damage.
Do not use the clutch bite point to keep the vehicle stationary on uphill gradients.
There is otherwise a risk of damaging the
clutch.
! On long and steep downhill gradients,
especially if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer, you must shift into gear
1, 2or3in
good time. This uses the engine's braking
effect. This relieves the load on the brake
system and prevents the brakes from over-
heating and wearing too quickly. Gear lever
k
Reverse gear
1 to6
Forward gears 166
Manual transmissionDriving and parking

A Neutral
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels.
Releasing the brakes will allow you
to move the vehicle freely, e.g. to
push it or tow it.
If ESP ®
is deactivated or faulty:
only shift the transmission to posi-
tion Nif the vehicle is in danger of
skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
When you switch off the engine, the automatic transmission automati-
cally shifts into neutral N.7 Drive
The automatic transmission
changes gear automatically. All
forward gears are available.
Driving tips
Changing gear The automatic transmission shifts to the indi-
vidual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position D. Gearshifting is deter-
mined by:
R the selected drive program (Y page 171)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
(Y page 170)
R the road speed
Accelerator pedal position Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
R little throttle: early upshifts
R more throttle: late upshifts
Holding the vehicle stationary on uphill gradients G
WARNING
If the clutch overheats, the electronic man-
agement system is automatically deactivated. This interrupts the power transmission. The
vehicle may, for example, roll backwards on
gradients. There is a risk of an accident.
Never hold the vehicle stationary on uphill
gradients by depressing the accelerator.
The clutch may overheat if you hold the vehi- cle stationary on uphill gradients by depress-
ing the accelerator pedal. If the clutch over-
heats, a warning tone sounds.
All vehicles (except AMG vehicles): the
Stop
Stop vehicle vehicle Shift
Shiftto
toP
PLeave
Leave engine
engine
running
running display message appears in the mul-
tifunction display. You will only be able to
continue your journey once the clutch has
cooled down and the display message in the
multifunction display has disappeared.
AMG vehicles: theTrans. oil overhea‐ Trans. oil overhea‐
ted Drive on with care
ted Drive on with care display message
appears in the multifunction display.
Never hold the vehicle stationary on uphill
gradients by depressing the accelerator.
Instead, only ever hold the vehicle stationary on uphill gradients by:
R depressing the brake pedal
R activating the HOLD function
R engaging the electric parking brake
Kickdown AMG vehicles:
it is only possible to use kick-
down in temporary manual drive program M.
For further information on manual drive pro-
gram M(Y page 172).
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration.
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
X Ease off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up. 170
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking

In drive program
M, you can change gear
yourself using the steering wheel gearshift
paddles.
If you pull the left or right steering wheel gear- shift paddle when in automatic drive programE (drive program Con AMG vehicles) or S, the
automatic transmission shifts into drive pro-
gram Mfor a limited time. Depending on
which gearshift paddle is pulled, the auto-
matic transmission immediately shifts into
the next gear down or up.
AMG vehicles: you can activate drive pro-
gram MRACE START (Y page 202) using the
steering wheel gearshift paddles.
i You can only change gear with the steer-
ing wheel gearshift paddles when the trans-
mission is in position D.
i For further information on the manual
drive program, see (Y page 172).Automatic drive program
Drive program E(drive program Con AMG
vehicles) is characterised by the following:
R comfort-oriented engine settings.
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner.
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears unless the accel-
erator pedal is depressed fully.
R increased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for
example.
R the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being
driven at lower engine speeds and the
wheels being less likely to spin. Drive program
Sis characterised by the fol-
lowing:
R sporty engine settings.
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later
R as a result of the later automatic transmis-
sion shift points, the fuel consumption pos- sibly being higher. Manual drive program
Introduction In manual drive program
M, you can change
gear yourself by using the steering wheel
gearshift paddles. For this, the transmission
must be in position D. The gear currently
selected and engaged is shown in the multi-
function display.
Manual drive program Mdiffers from drive
programs E(drive program Con AMG vehi-
cles) and Swith regard to spontaneity,
responsiveness and smoothness of gear
changes. Gear Driving situations
=
To use the engine's braking effect
5
To use the braking effect of the
engine on downhill gradients and
for driving:
R on steep mountain roads
R in mountainous terrain
R in arduous conditions 4
To use the braking effect of the
engine on extremely steep downhill
gradients and on long downhill
stretches 172
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer
than six weeks, the vehicle may suffer dam-
age as a result of lack of use.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop and
seek advice.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist work-
shop. Driving tips
General notes
G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect, for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect. You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving. ECO display
The ECO display provides feedback on how
economical your driving characteristics are.
The ECO display assists you in achieving the
most economical driving style for the selec-
ted settings and prevailing conditions. Con-
sumption can be significantly influenced by
your driving style. Example: ECO display
The ECO display consists of three bars:
R Acceleration Acceleration
R Constant
Constant
R Coasting
Coasting The percentage count is the mean value of the
three bar values. The three bars and the mean
value begin at the value of 50 %. A higher per- centage count indicates a more economical
driving style.
The ECO display does not indicate the actual
fuel consumption. A fixed percentage count
in the ECO display does not indicate a fixed
consumption.
In addition to driving style, the consumption is
affected by many other factors, such as:
R load
R tyre pressure
R cold start
R choice of route
R the use of electrical consumers
These factors are not included in the ECO dis-
play.
The evaluation of your driving style takes the
following three categories into consideration:
R Acceleration Acceleration (evaluation of all accelera-
tion processes):
- The bar fills up: moderate acceleration,
especially at higher speeds
- The bar empties: sporty acceleration
R Constant Constant (assessment of driving behav-
iour at all times):
- The bar fills up: constant speed and
avoidance of unnecessary acceleration
and deceleration
- The bar empties: fluctuations in speed
R Coasting Coasting (assessment of all deceleration
processes):
- The bar fills up: anticipatory driving,
keeping your distance and early release
of the accelerator. The vehicle can coast
without use of the brakes
- The bar empties: frequent braking
i An economical driving style involves driv-
ing at a moderate engine speed.
To achieve a higher value in the categories
Acceleration
Acceleration andConstant Constant: 182
Driving tipsDriving and parking

tion to the traffic conditions. This will warm up
the brake discs, thereby drying them more
quickly and protecting them against corro-
sion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads If you drive on salted roads, a layer of salt
residue may form on the brake discs and
brake pads. This can result in a significantly
longer braking distance.
R Brake occasionally to remove any possible
salt residue. Make sure that you do not
endanger other road users when doing so.
R Carefully depress the brake pedal and the
beginning and end of a journey.
R Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead.
New brake pads/linings New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after sev-
eral hundred kilometres of driving. Compen-
sate for this by applying greater force to the
brake pedal.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only have brake pads/linings fitted to your vehicle which have been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which correspond to an equivalent quality
standard. Brake pads/linings which have not been approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which are not of an equivalent quality could
affect your vehicle's operating safety. Driving on wet roads
Aquaplaning If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of aqua-
planing occurring, even if:
R you are driving at low speeds
R the tyres have adequate tread depth For this reason, drive in the following manner
in the event of heavy rain or in conditions in
which aquaplaning can occur:
R lower your speed
R avoid tyre ruts
R avoid sudden steering movements
R brake carefully
Driving on flooded roads !
Bear in mind that vehicles travelling in
front or in the opposite direction create
waves. This may cause the maximum per-
missible water depth to be exceeded.
These notes must be observed under all
circumstances. You could otherwise dam-
age the engine, the electronics or the trans- mission.
If you have to drive on stretches of road on
which water has collected, you should never
drive at speeds above walking pace.
Always observe the maximum fording depth
values (Y page 392). Winter driving
G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
This increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface. G
DANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To 184
Driving
tipsDriving an d parking

ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open a
window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
You should drive particularly carefully on slip- pery road surfaces. Avoid sudden accelera-
tion, steering and braking manoeuvres. Do
not use cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
shift to neutral.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission to position N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control by
using corrective steering.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
You should pay special attention to road con-
ditions when temperatures are around the
freezing point.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (Y page 355).
For more information on driving with summer tyres, see (Y page 354).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y page 354). Off-road driving
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you drive up a steep incline at an angle or
turn on a steep incline, the vehicle could slip sideways, tip and overturn. There is a risk of
an accident.
When driving up an incline, drive into the line
of fall (upwards or downwards in a straight
line) and do not turn.
The vehicle is only designed for easily nego-
tiable off-road terrain and poor road surfaces. When driving off-road, substances such as
sand, mud and water or water mixed with oil
may get into the brakes. This may lead to a
reduction in braking performance or total
brake failure as a result of increased wear.
The braking characteristics will vary depend-
ing on the substances that get into the
brakes. Clean the brakes after driving off-
road. If you notice grinding noises or a reduc-
tion in braking performance, have the brake
system checked at a qualified specialist work- shop immediately. Adapt your driving style to
the altered braking characteristics.
Driving off-road increases the possibility of
damage to the vehicle, which may cause
assemblies or systems to fail. Adapt your
driving style to the conditions of the terrain.
Drive carefully. Have vehicle damage rectified immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Do not shift into transmission position N
when driving off-road. You could lose control
of the vehicle if you attempt to brake the
vehicle using the service brake. If the gradient
is too steep for your vehicle, back up in
reverse gear.
General notes H
Environmental note
Protection of the environment is of primary
importance. Treat nature with respect.
Observe all prohibiting signs.
Read this section before driving your vehicle
off-road.
Off-road driving is only possible with the Off-
Road Engineering package (Y page 205). Driving tips
185Driving and parking Z

The following driving systems are specially
adapted for driving over easily negotiable off-
road terrain:
R Off-road program (Y page 205)
R Off-road ABS (Y page 73)
R Off-road 4ETS (Y page 77)
R Off-road ESP ®
(Y page 80)
R DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
(Y page 204)
Observe the following notes:
R Stop the vehicle before driving off-road. If
necessary, activate the off-road program
(Y page 205).
R To avoid damaging the vehicle, make sure
there is always sufficient ground clearance.
R Make sure that items of luggage and loads
are stowed safely and are well secured
(Y page 306).
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient. Acti-
vate DSR (Y page 204).
R Drive slowly and evenly, if necessary at
walking pace.
R Ensure that the wheels are in contact with
the ground at all times.
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 Check the depth of water before fording
rivers and streams.
R Watch out for obstacles.
R Take care when turning on an uphill or
downhill slope or when driving across a
slope. The vehicle could otherwise tip over.
R Always keep the side windows and the pan-
orama sliding sunroof closed during the
journey.
R Do not deviate from marked routes.
i Do not use the HOLD function when driv-
ing off-road, on steep uphill or downhill gra- dients or on slippery or loose surfaces. The HOLD function cannot hold the vehicle on
such surfaces.
Checklist before driving off-road X
Engine oil level: check the engine oil and
top it up if necessary.
When driving on steep gradients, the oil
level must be sufficiently high to ensure a
correct oil supply in the vehicle.
X Wheels and tyres: check the tyre tread
depth and tyre pressure.
X Check for damage and remove any foreign
objects, e.g. small stones, from the
wheels/tyres.
X Replace any missing valve caps.
X Replace dented or damaged wheels.
X Wheels: dented or bent wheels can lead to
a loss of tyre pressure and damage to the
tyre bead. Before driving off-road, check
the wheels and replace them if necessary.
Checklist after driving off-road !
If you detect damage to the vehicle after
driving off-road, have the vehicle checked
immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
X Deactivate off-road program (Y page 205).
X Deactivate DSR (Y page 204).
X Clean the headlamps and rear lights and
check for damage.
X Clean the front and rear licence plates.
X Clean the wheels/tyres with a water jet and
remove any foreign objects.
X Clean the wheels, wheel arches and the
vehicle underside with a water jet; check
for any foreign objects and damage.
X Check whether twigs or other parts of
plants have become trapped. These
increase the risk of fire and can damage
fuel pipes, brake hoses or the rubber bel-
lows of the axle joints and propeller shafts.
X After the trip, examine without fail the
entire undercarriage, wheels, tyres, brakes, 186
Driving tipsDriving and parking

R
Use the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle to shift to a lower gear appropriate
to the gradient.
R Use the left-hand gearshift paddle to shift
to a lower gear on long and steep downhill
gradients.
i Hill start assist will aid you when pulling
away on a hill.
For further information about hill start
assist, see (Y page 161).
Do not shift into transmission position N
when driving off-road. You could lose control
of the vehicle if you attempt to brake the
vehicle using the service brake. If the gradient
is too steep for your vehicle, back up in
reverse gear.
Always observe the approach/departure
angle values (Y page 393).
Maximum gradient-climbing capability Always observe the maximum gradient climb-
ing ability values (Y page 393).
Hilltops When driving up an uphill gradient, slightly
reduce pressure on the accelerator immedi-
ately 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:
R the vehicle from lifting off the ground on the
brow of a hill
R the vehicle from travelling 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. Oth- erwise, the vehicle could slip sideways, tip
and overturn. R
Before tackling steep downhill gradients,
use the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle to shift to a lower gear.
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 Off-road ABS is activated when the off-
road program is selected.
At speeds below 30 km/h the front wheels
lock cyclically during braking. The digging-
in effect achieved in the process reduces
the stopping distance when driving off-
road. The steerability of the vehicle is con-
siderably reduced if the wheels lock. Driving systems
Cruise control
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding the set speed. You must
select a lower gear in good time on long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden or towing a trailer. For vehi-
cles with automatic transmission, you need to have selected manual drive program M
(Y page 172). 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.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con- ditions are appropriate for maintaining a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You canstore any road speed above 30 km/h.
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise
control can neither reduce the risk of an acci-
dent nor override the laws of physics. Cruise 188
Driving systemsDriving and parking