2014 MERCEDES-BENZ GL Owners Manual

While the adjustment from off-road level 2 to
off-road level 3 is taking place, you will see a
message such as the following in the
multifunction display:Vehicle RisingVehicle Rising
Max. Speed 12 mph (20 km/h)Max. Speed 12 mph (20 km/h).
TheMax. Speed 12 mph (20 km/h)Max. Speed 12 mph (20 km/h)
message draws your attention to the
maximum speed permitted for off-road
level 3.
Once off-road level 3 has been reached, you
will see a message shown in white in the
multifunction display, for example:Max.Max.
Speed 12 mph (20 km/h)Speed 12 mph (20 km/h).
If you drive above 20 km/hat off-road level 3,
you will see the following message shown in
red in the multifunction display:VehicleVehicle
Lowering Max. Speed 12 mphLowering Max. Speed 12 mph
(20 km/h)(20 km/h).
iYou cannot clear these messages.
You also hear a warning. The vehicle is
lowered and off-road level 3 is canceled.
If you continue to increase your speed, the
red message continues to be shown in the
multifunction display. The newly set level is
not displayed until the vehicle has been set
to a level suitable for the current speed.
Lowering the vehicle
If you maintain or reduce your speed, you will
see a message in white in the display while
the vehicle is being lowered, such as the
following:Lowering Max. Speed 12 mphLowering Max. Speed 12 mph
(20 km/h)(20 km/h).
The vehicle is lowered to off-road level 2.
If you select an off-road level when driving at
too high a speed, theDrive More SlowlyDrive More Slowly
message appears in the multifunction
display .
You can select from the following:
ROff-road level 1 at speeds up to 60 mph
(100 km/h)
ROff-road level 2 at speeds up to 40 mph
(65 km/h)
ROff-road level 3 at speeds up to 12 mph
(20 km/h)
If you are driving above 50 mph (80 km/h) or
drive between 40 mph (65 km/h) and
50 mph (80 km/h) for longer than
20 seconds,off-road level 2 will be canceled.
The vehicle is lowered to off-road level 1.
You will see a message in the multifunction
display, for example:LoweringLowering.
If you are driving above 70 mph (115 km/h)
or drive between 62 mph (100 km/h) and
70 mph (115 km/h) for longer than
20 seconds, off-road level 1 will be canceled.
Depending on the vehicle's speed and the
ADS mode selected (Ypage 217), the vehicle
is automatically lowered to highway or high-
speed level.
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Driving and parking
Z

You will see a message in the multifunction
display, for example:LoweringLowering.
HOLD function
General notes
The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations:
Rwhen pulling away, especially on steep
slopes
Rwhen maneuvering on steep slopes
Rwhen waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the
driver having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is canceled and the HOLD
function deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away.
iDo not use the HOLD function when
driving off-road, on steep uphill or downhill
gradients or on slippery or loose surfaces.
The HOLD function cannot hold the vehicle
on such surfaces.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
When leaving the vehicle, it can still roll away
despite being braked by the HOLD function if:
Rthere is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply.
Rthe HOLD function has been deactivated by
pressing the accelerator pedal or the brake
pedal, e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
Rthe electrical system in the engine
compartment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with.
Rthe battery is disconnected
There is a risk of an accident.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
!If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes
automatically in certain situations. To
prevent damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or other similar situations:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin the car wash
Deactivating the HOLD function
(Ypage 217).
Activation conditions
You can activate the HOLD function if:
Rthe vehicle is stationary
Rthe engine is running
Rthe driver's door is closed or your seat belt
is fastened
Rthe electric parking brake is released
Rthe transmission is in positionD,RorN
RDISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated
Activating the HOLD function
XMake sure that the activation conditions
are met.
XDepress the brake pedal.
XQuickly depress the brake pedal further
untilCappears in the multifunction
display.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
iIf depressing the brake pedal the first
time does not activate the HOLD function,
wait briefly and then try again.
216Driving systems
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Deactivating the HOLD function
The HOLD function is deactivated
automatically if:
Ryou accelerate and the transmission is in
positionDorR.
Ryou shift the transmission to positionP.
Ryou depress the brake pedal again with a
certain amount of pressure untilC
disappears from the multifunction display.
Ryou secure the vehicle using the electric
parking brake.
Ryou activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
iAfter 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:
Rthe driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened.
Rthe engine is switched off.
Ra system malfunction occurs.
Rthe 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 positionP.
AIRMATIC package
General notes
AIRMATIC regulates the level of your vehicle.
As well as level control (Ypage 218), your
vehicle can be equipped with ADS (Adaptive
Damping System) (Ypage 217) and ACTIVE
CURVE SYSTEM (Ypage 218).
Observe the notes on driving with a trailer
(Ypage 264).
ADS (Adaptive Damping System)
General notes
ADS adapts the damping characteristics to
the current operating and driving situation.
This depends on:
Ryour driving style
Rthe road surface conditions
Rthe ADS setting
Rthe vehicle level setting
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
Sports tuning
Example: vehicles without the ON&OFFROADpackage
CSuspension tuning button
DIndicator lamp for sports tuning

Comfort tuning
Example: vehicles without the ON&OFFROADpackage
CSuspension tuning button
DIndicator lamp for sports tuning

clearance. You will otherwise damage the
vehicle.
!When you raise the vehicle in such a way
that not all wheels have contact with the
ground, remove the SmartKey from the
ignition lock.
RUtility vehicles have a significantly higher
rollover rate than other types of vehicles.
Failure to operate this vehicle safely may
result in an accident, rollover of the vehicle,
and severe or fatal injury.
RIn a rollover crash, an unbelted person is
significantly more likely to die than a
person wearing a seat belt.
You and all vehicle occupants should
always wear your seat belts.
General notes
Further information about "Driving off-road"
(Ypage 197).
Level control adapts the vehicle level
automatically to the current operating and
driving situation. This results in reduced fuel
consumption and improved handling.
If you select ADS comfort mode
(Ypage 217), the vehicle is lowered to high-
speed level as the speed increases. As the
vehicle speed decreases, the vehicle is raised
back up to highway level.
If you select ADS sport mode (Ypage 217),
the vehicle skips highway level and lowers
directly to high-speed level depending on the
basic setting (Ypage 219).
Make changes to the vehicle level while the
vehicle is in motion. This enables the vehicle
to adjust to the new level as quickly as
possible.
The vehicle level may change visibly if you
park the vehicle and the outside temperature
changes. If the temperature drops, the
vehicle level is lower; with an increase in
temperature, the vehicle level rises.
If you unlock the vehicle or open a door, the
vehicle begins to compensate for load
discrepancies while still parked. However, for
significant level changes, such as after the
vehicle has been stationary for a long period,
the engine must be on. For safety reasons,
the vehicle is only lowered when the doors are
closed. Lowering is interrupted if a door is
opened, and it continues once the door has
been closed.
Basic settings (excluding AMG vehicles)
The extent to which the vehicle is raised or
lowered depends on the basic setting
selected. Select raised level for off-road
driving or highway/high-speed level for
normal roads.
The individual vehicle levels differ from
highway level as follows:
Rhighway level: +/–0 in (+/–0 mm)
Rhigh-speed level: –0.6 in (–15 mm)
Rraised level: +2.3 in (+60 mm)
Basic settings for AMG vehicles
The extent to which the vehicle is raised or
lowered depends on the AMG adaptive sport
suspension setting selected. Select the
raised level for off-road driving or highway/
high-speed level for normal roads.
The raised level corresponds to a vehicle level
raised by 50 mm when compared with
highway level in comfort mode.
Raised level
Only select raised level if this is appropriate
for the road conditions. Otherwise, fuel
consumption may increase and handling may
be affected.
XStart the engine.
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Z

If indicator lampDis not lit:
XPress buttonC.
Indicator lampDflashes. The vehicle rises
to raised level.
During the adjustment, theVehicleVehicle
RisingRisingmessage, for example, appears in the
multifunction display.
If you press the8orvbutton on the
multifunction steering wheel, the message
will disappear.
Once the vehicle has reached raised level,
indicator lampDremains lit. TheVehicleVehicle
RisingRisingmessage disappears from the
multifunction display.
If you try to select raised level at a speed
above 40 mph (64 km/h), theDrive MoreDrive More
SlowlySlowlymessage appears in the multifunction
display.
Highway/high-speed level
!Make sure that there is enough ground
clearance when the vehicle is being
lowered. It could otherwise hit the ground,
damaging the underbody.
CLevel control button
DLevel control indicator lamp
XStart the engine.
If indicator lampDis lit:
XPress buttonC.
Indicator lampDflashes. The vehicle is
adjusting to highway/high-speed level.
During the adjustment, theLoweringLowering
message, for example, appears in the
multifunction display.
If you press the8orvbutton on the
multifunction steering wheel, the message
will disappear.
Once highway level has been reached,
indicator lampDgoes out. TheLoweringLowering
message disappears from the multifunction
display.
220Driving systems
Driving and parking

The vehicle automatically adjusts to highway
level when you:
Rdrive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h).
Rdrive between 40 mph (64 km/h) and
50 mph (80 km/h) for approximately
20 seconds.
Depending on the ADS mode selected
(Ypage 217), the vehicle is lowered to high-
speed level at high speeds.
AMG adaptive sport suspension
system
Important safety notes
GWARNING
When the vehicle is being lowered, people
could become trapped if their limbs are
between the vehicle body and the wheels or
underneath the vehicle. There is a risk of
injury.
Make sure no one is underneath the vehicle
or in the immediate vicinity of the wheel
arches when the vehicle is being lowered.
GWARNING
The vehicle is lowered if:
Ryou have selected the Comfort or Sport
suspension tuning and
Rlock the vehicle after switching off the
engine
Persons in the vicinity of the wheel arch or the
underbody may thus become trapped. There
is a risk of injury.
Make sure that nobody is in the vicinity of the
wheel arch or the underbody when you switch
off the engine.
!The vehicle is lowered by approximately
10 mm if:
Ryou have selected the Sport or Comfort
suspension tuning and
Ryou switch off the engine and then
Rlock the vehicle
When parking, position your vehicle so that
it does not make contact with the curb as
the vehicle is lowered. Your vehicle could
otherwise be damaged.
Vehicle level
Level control adapts the vehicle level
automatically to the current operating and
driving situation. Level control ensures the
best possible suspension and constant
ground clearance, even with a laden vehicle.
This improves driving safety and fuel
consumption.
The AIRMATIC package and ACTIVE CURVE
SYSTEM are always components of AMG
adaptive suspension system (Ypage 217).
Due to the sportier suspension settings
compared to standard vehicles, the levels and
speed thresholds for sinking and raising the
vehicle are different.
In Comfort and Sport driving modes, after
locking the vehicle it lowers to the Sport+
level. When locking the vehicle at the raised
level, the vehicle does not lower.
The settings will remain stored after you
switch off the engine. When starting the
engine, the selected setting, e.g. AMG
adaptive suspension system Comfort, is
restored.
iThe vehicle level may change visibly if you
park the vehicle and the outside
temperature changes. If the temperature
drops, the vehicle level lowers; with an
increase in temperature, the vehicle level
rises.
Suspension tuning
General notes
The electronically controlled damping system
works continuously. This improves driving
safety and ride comfort.
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The damping is tuned individually to each
wheel and depends on:
Ryour driving style
Rthe road surface conditions
Ryour individual selection of Sport, Sport +
or Comfort
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
Sport mode
The firmer suspension tuning in Sport mode
ensures even better contact with the road.
Select this mode when employing a sporty
driving style, e.g. on winding country roads.
XPress buttonConce.
Indicator lampDlights up. You have
selected Sport mode.
TheAMG Suspension System SPORTAMG Suspension System SPORT
message appears in the multifunction
display.
Sport + mode
The very firm setting of the suspension tuning
in Sport + mode ensures the best possible
contact with the road. Select this mode
preferably when driving on race circuits.
If indicator lamps