2014 MERCEDES-BENZ GL-Class Owner's Manual

Adaptive Brake Assist
i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 67). G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic
situations.
In such cases, Adaptive Brake Assist may:
R intervene unnecessarily
R not intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation. G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R to stationary obstacles
R when cornering
As a result, Adaptive Brake Assist may not
intervene in all critical conditions. There is a
risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated but non-critical driving
conditions may also cause Brake Assist to
intervene.
Adaptive Brake Assist aids you in braking
during hazardous situations at speeds above
4 mph (7 km/h) and uses the radar sensor
system to evaluate the traffic situation.
With the help of Adaptive Brake Assist, the
distance warning signal can detect obstacles
that are in the path of your vehicle for an
extended period of time.
Should you approach an obstacle and
Adaptive Brake Assist has detected a risk of
collision, Adaptive Brake Assist calculates the braking force necessary to avoid a rear-end
collision. Should you apply the brakes
vigorously, Adaptive Brake Assist will
automatically increase the braking force to a
level suitable for the traffic conditions.
X
Keep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will work normally again if:
R you release the brake pedal.
R there is no longer any danger of a collision.
R no obstacle is detected in front of your
vehicle.
Adaptive Brake Assist is then deactivated.
Vehicles with PRE-SAFE ®
:if adaptive Brake
Assist requires particularly high brake
pressure, preventive passenger protection
measures (PRE-SAFE ®
) are deployed
simultaneously.
Up to vehicle speeds of around 155 mph
(250 km/h), adaptive Brake Assist is capable
of reacting to moving objects that have
already been recognized as such at least once
over the period of observation. Adaptive
Brake Assist does not react to stationary
obstacles.
If Adaptive Brake Assist is not available due
to a malfunction in the radar sensor system,
the brake system remains available with full
brake boosting effect and BAS.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if there is:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R there is snow or heavy rain
R there is interference by other radar sources
R there are strong radar reflections, for
example in parking garages
R a narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike Driving safety systems
71Safety Z

R
a vehicle traveling in front on a different line
relative to the center of your vehicle
R new vehicles or after the COLLISION
PREVENTION ASSIST system has been
serviced
Observe the notes in the section on
breaking-in (Y page 166).
Following damage to the front end of the
vehicle, have the configuration and operation
of the radar sensor checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. This also applies to
collisions at low speeds where there is no
visible damage to the front of the vehicle. ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 67).
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission between the tires and
the road surface.
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
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 (Y page 258). Off-road 4ETS (Electronic Traction
System) A 4ETS system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once the off-
road program is activated (Y
page 258).
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 a two-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 åwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up
continuously when the engine is running.
If the ÷ warning lamp and the å
warning lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not
available due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 329) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 291).
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tire sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly. 72
Driving safety systemsSafety

Characteristics of ESP
®General information
If the
÷ ESP warning lamp goes out before
beginning the journey, ESP ®
is automatically
active.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the ÷ESP®
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.
ECO start/stop function
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle
stops moving. The engine starts
automatically when the driver wants to pull
away again. ESP ®
remains in its previously
selected status. Example:if ESP®
was
deactivated before the engine was switched
off, ESP ®
remains deactivated when the
engine is switched on again.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®Important safety notes
You can select between the following states
of ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
is activated.
R ESP ®
is deactivated. G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer
stabilizes the vehicle. There is an increased
risk of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP ®
in the situations
described in the following. It may be best to deactivate ESP
®
in the
following situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilize the
vehicle if the vehicle starts to skid or a
wheel starts to spin.
! Avoid spinning the driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP ®
deactivated.
You could otherwise damage the drivetrain.
Deactivating/activating ESP ® X
To switch off: press button:.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X To switch on: press button:.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
Characteristics when ESP ®
is deactivated
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster flashes. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilize the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R engine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin. Driving safety systems
73Safety Z

The spinning of the wheels results in a
cutting action for better traction on loose
surfaces.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
Off-road ESP ® An ESP
®
system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once the off-
road program is activated (Y page 258).
Off-road ESP ®
intervenes with a delay if there
is oversteering or understeering, thus
improving traction.
ESP ®
trailer stabilization General information
ESP
®
trailer stabilization is not available in
AMG vehicles.
If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to
swerve, ESP ®
assists you in this situation.
ESP ®
slows the vehicle down by braking and
limiting the engine output until the vehicle/
trailer combination has stabilized.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilization will not be able to prevent
the vehicle/trailer combination from
swerving. Trailers with a high center of gravity
can tip over before ESP ®
can detect this.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always adapt your driving style to the
prevailing road and weather conditions.
If your vehicle with trailer (vehicle/trailer
combination) begins to lurch, you can only
stabilize the vehicle/trailer combination by
depressing the brake firmly.
Trailer stabilisation is active above speeds of
about 37 mph (60 km/h). ESP
®
trailer stabilization does not work if
ESP ®
is deactivated or disabled because of a
malfunction.
Crosswind driving assistance General information
Strong crosswinds can cause your vehicle to
deviate from a straight course. The crosswind
driving assistance function integrated into
ESP ®
significantly reduces these effects.
ESP ®
intervenes automatically according to
the direction and intensity of the crosswinds
affecting your vehicle.
ESP stabilities the vehicle with braking
interventions to assist you in keeping the
vehicle in the lane.
Crosswind driving assistance is active at
vehicle speeds above 50 mph (80 km/h)
when driving straight ahead or cornering
gently.
Important safety notes
Crosswind driving assistance does not work
if ESP ®
is deactivated or disabled because of
a malfunction. EBD (electronic brake force
distribution)
General information EBD monitors and controls the brake
pressure on the rear wheels to improve
driving stability while braking.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section for driving safety systems
(Y page 67). G
WARNING
If EBD has malfunctioned, the rear wheels can
still lock, e.g. under full braking. This
increases the risk of skidding and an accident. 74
Driving safety systemsSafety

You should therefore adapt your driving style
to the different handling characteristics. Have
the brake system checked at a qualified
specialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps ( Ypage 327) as well as
display messages (Y page 293). ADAPTIVE BRAKE
ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety
and offers increased braking comfort. In
addition to the braking function, ADAPTIVE
BRAKE also has the HOLD function
(Y page 216) and hill start assist
(Y page 171). PRE-SAFE
®
Brake
General information i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 67).
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is only available in vehicles
with DISTRONIC PLUS.
For PRE-SAFE ®
Brake to assist you when
driving, the radar sensor system must be
operational.
With the help of the radar sensor system,
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can detect obstacles that
are in front of your vehicle for an extended
period of time.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can help you to minimize
the risk of a collision with a vehicle ahead, and
reduce the effects of such a collision. If PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake has detected a risk of collision,
you will be warned visually and acoustically
as well as by automatic braking. PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot prevent a collision without your
intervention. Important safety notes G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake will initially brake your
vehicle by a partial application of the brakes
if a danger of collision is detected. There may
be a collision unless you also brake.
Automatic emergency braking cannot prevent
a collision. There is a risk of an accident.
Always apply the brakes yourself and try to
take evasive action. G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic
conditions.
In these cases, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may:
R give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
R not give a warning or intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake, especially if
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake warns you. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation.
In order to maintain the appropriate distance
to the vehicle in front and thus prevent a
collision, you must apply the brakes yourself. G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
As a result, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may neither
give warnings nor intervene in all critical
situations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake.
In the event of snowfall or heavy rain, the
recognition can be impaired. Driving safety systems
75Safety Z

Recognition by the radar sensor system is
also impaired in the event of:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R there is interference by other radar sources
R there are strong radar reflections, for
example in parking garages
R a narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
R a vehicle traveling in front on a different line
relative to the center of your vehicle
Following damage to the front end of the
vehicle, have the configuration and operation
of the radar sensors checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. This also applies to
collisions at low speeds where there is no
visible damage to the front of the vehicle.
Function X
To activate/deactivate: activate or
deactivate PRE-SAFE ®
Brake in the on-
board computer (Y page 281).
If the PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is not activated, the
æ symbol appears in the multifunction
display.
Starting at a speed of around 4 mph
(7 km/h), this function warns you if you
rapidly approach a vehicle in front. An
intermittent warning tone will then sound and
the · distance warning lamp will light up
in the instrument cluster.
X Brake immediately to defuse the situation.
or
X Take evasive action provided it is safe to do
so.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can also brake the vehicle
automatically under the following conditions:
R the driver and front-passenger have their
seat belts fastened
and
R the vehicle speed is between
approximately 4 mph (7 km/h) and
124 mph (200 km/h) At speeds of up to approximately 40 mph
(70 km/h) PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can also detect
stationary objects. Examples of stationary
objects are stopped or parked vehicles.
i If there is an increased risk of collision,
preventive passenger protection measures
(PRE-SAFE ®
) are activated.
If the risk of collision with the vehicle in front
remains and you do not brake, take evasive
action or accelerate significantly, the vehicle
may perform automatic emergency braking,
up to the point of full brake application.
Automatic emergency braking is not
performed until immediately prior to an
imminent accident.
You can prevent the intervention of the PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake at any time by:
R depressing the accelerator pedal further.
R activating kickdown.
R releasing the brake pedal.
The braking action of PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is
ended automatically if:
R you maneuver to avoid the obstacle.
R there is no longer any danger of a collision.
R there is no longer an obstacle detected in
front of your vehicle.
If you have activated DSR (Y page 256), PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake is deactivated. STEER CONTROL
General information STEER CONTROL helps you by transmitting a
noticeable steering force to the steering
wheel in the direction required for vehicle
stabilization.
This steering assistance is provided in
particular if:
R both right wheels or both left wheels are on
a wet or slippery road surface when you
brake.
R the vehicle starts to skid. 76
Driving safety systemsSafety

Important safety notes
i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 67).
No steering support is provided from STEER
CONTROL, if:
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning.
R the lighting is faulty.
Power steering will, however, continue to
function. Theft deterrent locking system
Immobilizer
X To activate with the SmartKey: remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
X To activate with KEYLESS-GO: switch the
ignition off and open the driver's door.
X To deactivate: switch on the ignition.
The immobilizer prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct SmartKey.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle.
Anyone can start the engine if a valid
SmartKey has been left inside the vehicle.
i The immobilizer is always deactivated
when you start the engine.
In the event that the engine cannot be
started when the starter battery is fully
charged, the immobilizer may be faulty.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or call 1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the
USA) or 1-800-387-0100 (in Canada). ATA (anti-theft alarm system)
X
To arm: lock the vehicle with the SmartKey
or KEYLESS-GO.
Indicator lamp :flashes. The alarm
system is armed after approximately
15 seconds.
X To deactivate using the SmartKey:
unlock the vehicle with the SmartKey.
or
X Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
X To deactivate using KEYLESS-GO: unlock
the vehicle with KEYLESS-GO.
or
X Press the Start/Stop button on the
dashboard. The SmartKey must be inside
the vehicle.
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is armed and you open:
R a door
R the vehicle with the mechanical key
R the tailgate
R the hood
X To turn the alarm off with the
SmartKey: press the%or& button
on the SmartKey.
The alarm is switched off.
or
X Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
The alarm is switched off. Theft deterrent locking system
77Safety Z

X
To stop the alarm using KEYLESS-GO:
grasp the outside door handle. The
SmartKey must be outside the vehicle.
The alarm is switched off.
or
X Press the Start/Stop button on the
dashboard. The SmartKey must be inside
the vehicle.
The alarm is switched off.
The alarm is not switched off, even if you
close the open door that triggered it, for
example.
i If the alarm continues for more than
30 seconds, the mbrace emergency call
system automatically notifies the
Customer Assistance Center. This is done
either by text message or data connection.
The emergency call system sends the
message or data provided that:
R you have subscribed to the mbrace
service.
R the mbrace service has been activated
properly.
R the necessary mobile phone network is
available. 78
Theft deterrent locking systemSafety