2014 MERCEDES-BENZ GL ABS

RBAS PLUS (BrakeAssistSystem Plus)
(Ypage 68)
RCOLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST (distance
warning function and adaptive Brake
Assist) (Ypage 69)
RESP®(ElectronicStabilityProgram)
(Ypage 72)
REBD (ElectronicBrake forceDistribution)
(Ypage 74)
RADAPTIVE BRAKE (Ypage 75)
RPRE-SAFE®Brake (Ypage 75)
RSTEER CONTROL (Ypage 76)
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or
become distracted, the driving safety
systems can neither reduce the risk of
accident nor override the laws of physics.
Driving safety systems are merely aids
designed to assist driving. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed and for braking in
good time. Always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather
conditions and maintain a safe distance from
the vehicle in front. Drive carefully.
iThe driving safety systems described only
work as effectively as possible when there
is adequate contact between the tires and
the road surface. Please pay special
attention to the notes on tires,
recommended minimum tire tread depths,
etc. (Ypage 404).
In wintry driving conditions, always use
winter tires (M+S tires) and if necessary,
snow chains. Only in this way will the
driving safety systems described in this
section work as effectively as possible.
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
General information
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the
vehicle when braking.
The%ABS warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out when the engine is running.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes"
section (Ypage 67).
GWARNING
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking
characteristics may be severely impaired.
Additionally, further driving safety systems
are deactivated. There is an increased danger
of skidding and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked
immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
When ABS is malfunctioning, other systems,
including driving safety systems, will also
become inoperative. Observe the information
on the ABS warning lamp (Ypage 326) and
display messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (Ypage 291).
ABS works from a speed of about 5 mph
(8 km/h), regardless of road-surface
conditions. ABS works on slippery surfaces,
even when you only brake gently.
Braking
XIf ABS intervenes:continue to depress the
brake pedal vigorously until the braking
situation is over.
XTo make a full brake application:
depress the brake pedal with full force.
If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel
a pulsing in the brake pedal.
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The pulsating brake pedal can be an
indication of hazardous road conditions, and
functions as a reminder to take extra care
while driving.
Off-road ABS
An ABS system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once the off-
road program is activated (Ypage 258).
At speeds below 20 mph (30 km/h), the front
wheels lock cyclically during braking. The
digging-in effect achieved in the process
reduces the stopping distance on off-road
terrain. This limits steering capability.
BAS (Brake Assist System)
General information
BAS operates in emergency braking
situations. If you depress the brake pedal
quickly, BAS automatically boosts the braking
force, thus shortening the stopping distance.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes"
section (Ypage 67).
GWARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of an accident.
In an emergency braking situation, depress
the brake pedal with full force. ABS prevents
the wheels from locking.
Braking
XKeep the brake pedal firmly depressed until
the emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated.
BAS PLUS (Brake Assist System
PLUS)
General information
iObserve the "Important safety notes"
section (Ypage 67).
BAS PLUS is only available in vehicles
equipped with DISTRONIC PLUS.
For BAS PLUS to assist you, the radar sensor
system must be operational.
With the help of the radar sensor system, BAS
PLUS can detect obstacles that are in the
path of your vehicle for an extended period of
time.
If the radar sensor system is malfunctioning,
BAS PLUS will not be available. The brake
system is still available with complete brake
boosting effect and BAS.
BAS PLUS can help you to minimize the risk
of a collision with a vehicle or reduce the
effects of such a collision. If BAS PLUS
detects a danger of collision, you are assisted
when braking.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
BAS PLUS cannot always clearly identify
objects and complex traffic situations.
In such cases, BAS PLUS may:
Rintervene unnecessarily
Rnot 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.
GWARNING
BAS PLUS does not react:
Rto people or animals
Rto oncoming vehicles
Rto crossing traffic
Rwhen cornering
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Safety

As a result, BAS PLUS may not 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.
Recognition by the radar sensor system is
also impaired in the event of:
Rdirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
Rthere is interference by other radar sources
Rthere are strong radar reflections, for
example in parking garages
Ra narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
Ra 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
To avoid a collision, BAS PLUS calculates the
brake force necessary if:
Ryou approach an obstacle, and
RBAS PLUS has detected a risk of collision
When driving at a speed under 20 mph
(30 km/h): if you depress the brake pedal,
BAS PLUS is activated. The increase in brake
pressure will be carried out at the last
possible moment.
When driving at a speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h): if you depress the brake pedal
sharply, BAS PLUS automatically raises the
brake pressure to a value adapted to the
traffic situation.
BAS PLUS provides braking assistance in
hazardous situations with vehicles in front
within a speed range between 4 mph
(7 km/h) and 155 mph (250 km/h).
At speeds of up to approximately 40 mph
(70 km/h), BAS PLUS can also react to
stationary objects. Examples of stationary
objects are stopped or parked vehicles.
iIf BAS PLUS demands particularly high
braking force, preventative passenger
protection measures (PRE-SAFE®) are
activated simultaneously.
XKeep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
BAS PLUS is deactivated and the brakes
function as usual again, if:
Ryou release the brake pedal.
Rthere is no longer a risk of collision.
Rno obstacle is detected in front of your
vehicle.
If you have activated DSR (Ypage 256), BAS
PLUS is likewise deactivated.
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
General notes
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST consists of
Adaptive Brake Assist and the distance
warning function, which are described in the
following.
Distance warning function
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes"
section (Ypage 67).
GWARNING
The distance warning function does not react:
Rto people or animals
Rto oncoming vehicles
Rto crossing traffic
Rwhen cornering
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Adaptive Brake Assist
iObserve the "Important safety notes"
section (Ypage 67).
GWARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic
situations.
In such cases, Adaptive Brake Assist may:
Rintervene unnecessarily
Rnot 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.
GWARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist does not react:
Rto people or animals
Rto oncoming vehicles
Rto crossing traffic
Rto stationary obstacles
Rwhen 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.
XKeep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will work normally again if:
Ryou release the brake pedal.
Rthere is no longer any danger of a collision.
Rno 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:
Rdirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
Rthere is snow or heavy rain
Rthere is interference by other radar sources
Rthere are strong radar reflections, for
example in parking garages
Ra narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
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conditions when temperatures are around
the freezing point.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (Ypage 407).
For more information on driving with summer
tires, see (Ypage 406).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Ypage 406).
Off-road driving
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you drive on a steep incline at an angle or
turn when driving on an incline, the vehicle
could slip sideways, tip and rollover. There is
a risk of an accident.
Always drive on a steep incline in the line of
fall (straight up or down) and do not turn the
vehicle.
GWARNING
If the vehicle level is high, the vehicle center
of gravity is raised. This could cause the
vehicle to tip over more easily on uphill or
downhill gradients. There is a risk of an
accident.
Select the lowest possible vehicle level.
When driving off-road, sand, mud and water,
possibly mixed with oil, for example, could get
into the brakes. This could result in a reduced
braking effect or in total brake failure and also
in increased wear and tear. The braking
characteristics change depending on the
material ingressing the brakes. Clean the
brakes after driving off-road. If you detect a
reduced braking effect or grinding noises,
have the brake system checked in a qualified
specialist workshop as soon as possible.
Adapt your driving style to the different
braking characteristics.
Driving off-road increases the likelihood of
damage to the vehicle, which, in turn, can lead
to failure of the mechanical assembly or
systems. Adapt your driving style to suit the
terrain conditions. Drive carefully. Have
damage to the vehicle rectified immediately
at a qualified specialist workshop.
Do not switch to transmission positionN
when driving off-road. You could lose control
of the vehicle if you attempt to brake using
the service brake. If the gradient is too steep,
drive backwards in reverse gear.
General notes
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:
ROff-road program 1 and 2 (vehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package) (Ypage 258)
RLOW RANGE off-road gear (vehicles with
the ON&OFFROAD package)
(Ypage 259)
RDifferential lock (vehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package) (Ypage 259)
ROff-road ABS (Ypage 68)
RAIRMATIC package (vehicle level)
(Ypage 217)
RDSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
(Ypage 256)
Observe the following notes:
RStop the vehicle before starting to drive
along an off-road route.
RFor vehicles with the AIRMATIC
package:select a vehicle level that is
suitable for the off-road terrain. To avoid
damaging the vehicle, make sure there is
always sufficient ground clearance.
RCheck that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
(Ypage 345).
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Driving downhill
RDrive slowly.
RDo 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.
RShift to a lower gear using the left-hand
paddle shifter before tackling steep
downhill gradients.
RActivate 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.
RCheck that the brakes are working normally
after a long downhill stretch.
iThe special off-road ABS setting enables
a precise, brief and repeated locking of the
front wheels. This causes them to dig into
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
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. 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
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).
iCruise control should not be activated
when driving off-road.
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise
control can neither reduce the risk of an
accident nor override the laws of physics.
Cruise control cannot take into account the
road, traffic and weather conditions. Cruise
control 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.
Do not use cruise control:
Rin road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed e.g.
in heavy traffic or on winding roads
Ron slippery road surfaces. Braking or
accelerating could cause the drive wheels
to lose traction and the vehicle could then
skid
Rwhen 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.
Cruise control lever
CTo activate or increase speed
DTo activate or reduce speed

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:
Rswitch on the ignition
Rshift the transmission to positionD,RorN
RRelease the electric parking brake
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18 km/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.
CSensors in the front bumper, left-hand
side (example)
Range of the sensors
General notes
PARKTRONIC does not take objects into
consideration that are:
Rbelow the detection range, e.g. people,
animals or objects
Rabove 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
(Ypage 380).
Front sensors
CenterApprox. 40 in (approx.
100 cm)
CornersApprox. 24 in (approx.
60 cm)
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milesmilesdisplay unit is selected, the assistance
range begins at 40 mph.
A warning may be given if a front wheel
passes over a lane marking. It will warn you
by means of intermittent vibration in the
steering wheel for up to 1.5 seconds.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Lane Keeping Assist may not always clearly
recognize lane markings.
In this case, Lane Keeping Assist may:
Rgive an unnecessary warning
Rnot give a warning
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and stay in lane, in particular if
warned by Lane Keeping Assist.
GWARNING
The Lane Keeping Assist warning does not
return the vehicle to the original lane. There
is a risk of an accident.
You should always steer, brake or accelerate
yourself, in particular if warned by Lane
Keeping Assist.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, Lane
Keeping Assist can neither reduce the risk of
an accident nor override the laws of physics.
Lane Keeping Assist cannot take into account
the road, traffic and weather conditions. Lane
Keeping Assist is merely 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.
The Lane Keeping Assist does not keep the
vehicle in the lane.
The system may be impaired or may not
function if:
Rthere is poor visibility, e.g. due to
insufficient illumination of the road, or due
to snow, rain, fog or spray
Rthere is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic,
the sun or reflections (e.g. when the road
surface is wet)
Rthe windshield is dirty, fogged up, damaged
or covered, for instance by a sticker, in the
vicinity of the camera
Rthere are no, several or unclear lane
markings for a lane, e.g. in areas with road
construction work
Rthe lane markings are worn away, dark or
covered up, e.g. by dirt or snow
Rthe distance to the vehicle in front is too
small and the lane markings thus cannot be
detected
Rthe lane markings change quickly, e.g.
lanes branch off, cross one another or
merge
Rthe road is narrow and winding
Rthere are strong shadows cast on the lane
Switching on Lane Keeping Assist
XSwitch on Active Lane Keeping Assist using
the on-board computer; to do so, select
StandardStandardorAdaptiveAdaptive(Ypage 282).
If you drive at speeds above 40 mph
(60 km/h) and lane markings are detected,
the lines in the assistance graphics display
(Ypage 280) are shown in green. Lane
Keeping Assist is ready for use.
Standard
IfStandardStandardis selected, no warning vibration
occurs if:
Ryou switch on the turn signals. In this event,
the warnings are suppressed for a certain
period of time.
Ra driving safety system intervenes, such as
ABS, BAS or ESP®.
246Driving systems
Driving and parking