2014 MERCEDES-BENZ GL instrument cluster

increases the stopping distance and can even
cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time.
!Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately.
Drive on for a short while. This allows the
airflow to cool the brakes more quickly.
Wet roads
If you have driven for a long time in heavy rain
without braking, there may be a delayed
reaction from the brakes when braking for the
first time. This may also occur after the
vehicle has been washed or driven through
deep water.
You then have to depress the brake pedal
more firmly. Maintain a greater distance from
the vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the
vehicle washed, brake firmly while paying
attention to the traffic conditions. This will
warm up the brake discs, thereby drying them
more quickly and protecting them against
corrosion.
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.
RBrake occasionally to remove any possible
salt residue. Make sure that you do not
endanger other road users when doing so.
RCarefully depress the brake pedal and the
beginning and end of a journey.
RMaintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead.
Servicing the brakes
!If the red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster and you hear a
warning tone while the engine is running,
the brake fluid level may be too low.
Observe additional warning messages in
the multifunction display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due to
brake pad wear or leaking brake lines.
Have the brake system checked
immediately. This work should be carried
out at a qualified specialist workshop.
!A function or performance test should
only be carried out on a 2-axle
dynamometer. If you are planning to have
the vehicle tested on such a dynamometer,
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center to obtain further information first.
Otherwise, you could damage the drive
train or the brake system.
!Because ESP®is an automatic system,
the engine and ignition must be switched
off (SmartKey in position0or1or Start/
Stop button in position0or1) when the
electric parking brake is being tested on a
brake dynamometer (maximum
10 seconds).
Braking triggered automatically by ESP®
may seriously damage the brake system.
All checks and maintenance work on the
brake system must be carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop. Consult a
qualified specialist workshop to arrange this.
Have brake pads installed and brake fluid
replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
If the brake system has only been subject to
moderate loads, you should test the
functionality of your brakes at regular
intervals. To do so, press firmly on the brake
pedal when driving at a high speed. This
improves the grip of the brake pads.
You can find a description of Brake Assist
(BAS) on (Ypage 68) or of BAS PLUS on
(Ypage 68).
194Driving tips
Driving and parking

Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only
have brake pads/linings installed on 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.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only
use brake fluid that has been specially
approved for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz,
or which corresponds to an equivalent quality
standard. Brake fluid which has not been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which is not of an equivalent quality could
affect your vehicle's operating safety.
High-performance brake system for
AMG vehicles
The high-performance brake system is
designed for heavy loads. This may lead to
noise when braking. This will depend on:
RSpeed
RBraking force
REnvironmental conditions, such as
temperature and humidity
The wear of individual components of the
brake system, such as the brake pads/linings
or brake discs, depends on the individual
driving style and operating conditions.
For this reason, it is impossible to state a
mileage that will be valid under all
circumstances. An aggressive driving style
will lead to high wear. You can obtain further
information about this from your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after
several hundred kilometers of driving.
Compensate for this by applying greater force
to the brake pedal. Keep this in mind, and
adapt your driving and braking accordingly
during this break-in period.
Excessive heavy braking results in
correspondingly high brake wear. Observe
the&brake wear warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and note any brake status
messages in the multifunction display.
Especially for high performance driving, it is
important to maintain and have the brake
system checked regularly.
Driving on wet roads
Hydroplaning
If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of
hydroplaning occurring, even if:
Ryou drive at low speeds.
Rthe tires have adequate tread depth.
For this reason, in the event of heavy rain or
in conditions in which hydroplaning may
occur, you must drive in the following
manner:
Rlower your speed.
Ravoid ruts.
Rbrake carefully.
Driving on flooded roads
!Do not drive through flooded areas.
Check the depth of any water before driving
through it. Drive slowly through standing
water. Otherwise, water may enter the
vehicle interior or the engine compartment.
This can damage the electronic
components in the engine or the automatic
transmission. Water can also be drawn in
by the engine's air suction nozzles and this
can cause engine damage.
iVehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
set the raised level before driving through
standing water.
Off-road fording
!Under no circumstances should you
accelerate before entering the water. The
Driving tips195
Driving and parking
Z

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.
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, the radar
sensor system must be 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) and 120 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.
iUSA only:
This device has been approved by the FCC
as a "Vehicular Radar System". The radar
sensor is intended for use in an automotive
radar system only. Removing, tampering
with, or altering the device will void any
warranties, and is not permitted by the
FCC. Do not tamper with, alter, or use in
any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
iCanada only: This device complies with
RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
2. this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Removal, tampering, or altering of the
device will void any warranties, and is not
permitted. Do not tamper with, alter, or use
in any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user's authority to
operate the equipment.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS does not react to:
Rpeople or animals
Rstationary obstacles on the road, e.g.
stopped or parked vehicles
Roncoming and crossing traffic
As a result, DISTRONIC PLUS may neither give
warnings nor intervene in such situations.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake.
GWARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot always clearly
identify other road users and complex traffic
situations.
In such cases, DISTRONIC PLUS may:
Rgive an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
Rneither give a warning nor intervene
Raccelerate unexpectedly
204Driving systems
Driving and parking

passenger door or one of the rear doors is
open
Ryou activate DSR
Ryou activate off-road program 2 on vehicles
with the ON&OFFROAD package
Rthe vehicle has skidded
If DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, you will
hear a warning tone. You will see the
DISTRONIC PLUS OffDISTRONIC PLUS Offmessage in the
multifunction display for approximately five
seconds.
Displays in the instrument cluster
Displays in the speedometer
Example: DISTRONIC PLUS displays in thespeedometer
When DISTRONIC PLUS is activated, one or
two segmentsDin the set speed range light
up.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle in front,
segmentsDbetween speed of the vehicle in
frontCand stored speed

Active Parking Assist will only detect parking
spaces:
Rthat are parallel to the direction of travel
Rthat are at least 59 in (1.5 m) wide
Rthat are at least 51 in (1.3 m) longer than
your vehicle
When driving at speeds below 19 mph
(30 km/h), you will see parking symbol as a
status indicator in the instrument cluster.
When a parking space has been detected, an
arrow towards the right or the left also
appears. By default, Active Parking Assist
only displays parking spaces on the front-
passenger side. Parking spaces on the
driver's side are displayed as soon as the turn
signal on the driver's side is activated. When
parking on the driver's side, this must remain
switched on until you acknowledge the use of
Active Parking Assist by pressing thev
button on the multifunction steering wheel.
A parking space is displayed while you are
driving past it, and until you are
approximately 50 ft (15 m) away from it.
Parking
GWARNING
Active Parking Assist merely aids you by
intervening actively in the steering. If you do
not brake there is a risk of an accident.
Always apply the brakes yourself when
maneuvering and parking.
XStop the vehicle when the parking space
symbol shows the desired parking space in
the instrument cluster.
XShift the transmission to positionR.
TheStart Park Assist? Yes: OK No:Start Park Assist? Yes: OK No:
8message appears in the multifunction
display.
XTo cancel the procedure:press the
8button on the multifunction steering
wheel or pull away.
or
XTo park using Active Parking Assist:
press thevbutton on the multifunction
steering wheel.
ThePark Assist Active AcceleratePark Assist Active Accelerate
and Brake Observe Surroundingsand Brake Observe Surroundings
message appears in the multifunction
display.
XLet go of the multifunction steering wheel.
XBack up the vehicle, being ready to brake
at all times. When backing up, drive at a
speed below approximately 6 mph
(10 km/h). Otherwise Active Parking Assist
will be canceled.
iIn tight parking spaces, you will achieve
the best parking results by backing up as
far as possible. When doing so, also
observe the PARKTRONIC messages.
XStop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.
Maneuvering may be required in tight
parking spaces.
ThePark Assist active Select DPark Assist active Select D
ObserveObservesurroundingssurroundingsmessage appears in
the multifunction display.
XShift the transmission to positionDwhile
the vehicle is stationary.
Active Parking Assist immediately steers in
the other direction.
ThePark Assist active AcceleratePark Assist active Accelerate
and brake Observe surroundingsand brake Observe surroundings
message appears in the multifunction
display.
iYou will achieve the best results by
waiting for the steering procedure to
complete before pulling away.
XDrive forwards and be ready to brake at all
times.
XStop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.
228Driving systems
Driving an d parking

Useful information............................272
Important safety notes....................272
Displays and operation....................272
Menus and submenus......................275
Display messages.............................290
Warning and indicator lamps in the
instrument cluster............................324
271
On-board computer and displays

Useful information
iThis Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional
equipment of your vehicle available at the
time of publication of the Operator's
Manual. Country-specific differences are
possible. Please note that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systems and functions.
iRead the information on qualified
specialist workshops: (Ypage 28).
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you operate information systems and
communication equipment integrated in the
vehicle while driving, you will be distracted
from traffic conditions. You could also lose
control of the vehicle. There is a risk of an
accident.
Only operate the equipment when the traffic
situation permits. If you are not sure that this
is possible, park the vehicle paying attention
to traffic conditions and operate the
equipment when the vehicle is stationary.
GWARNING
If the instrument cluster has failed or
malfunctioned, you may not recognize
function restrictions in systems relevant to
safety. The operating safety of your vehicle
may be impaired. There is a risk of an
accident.
Drive on carefully. Have the vehicle checked
at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately.
You must observe the legal requirements for
the country in which you are currently driving
when operating the on-board computer.
The on-board computer only shows messages
or warnings from certain systems in the
multifunction display. You should therefore
make sure your vehicle is operating safely at
all times. Otherwise, a vehicle that is not
operating safely may cause an accident.
For an overview, see the instrument panel
illustration (Ypage 33).
Displays and operation
Instrument cluster lighting
The lighting in the instrument cluster, in the
displays and the controls in the vehicle
interior can be adjusted using the brightness
control knob.
The brightness control knob is located on the
bottom left of the instrument cluster
(Ypage 33).
XTurn the brightness control knob clockwise
or counter-clockwise.
If the light switch is set toX,`or
X, the brightness is dependent upon
the brightness of the ambient light.
iThe light sensor in the instrument cluster
automatically controls the brightness of
the multifunction display.
In daylight, the displays in the instrument
cluster are not illuminated.
Coolant temperature display
GWARNING
Opening the hood when the engine is
overheated or when there is a fire in the
engine compartment could expose you to hot
gases or other service products. There is a
risk of injury.
Let an overheated engine cool down before
opening the hood. If there is a fire in the
engine compartment, keep the hood closed
and contact the fire department.
!A display message is shown if the coolant
temperature is too high.
272Displays and operation
On-board computer and displays

If the coolant temperature is over
248 ‡(120 †), do not continue driving. The
engine will otherwise be damaged.
The coolant temperature gauge is in the
instrument cluster on the right-hand side
(Ypage 33).
Under normal operating conditions and with
the specified coolant level, the coolant
temperature may rise to 248 ‡ (120 †).
Tachometer
!Do not drive in the overrevving range, as
this could damage the engine.
The red band in the tachometer indicates the
engine's overrevving range.
The fuel supply is interrupted to protect the
engine when the red band is reached.
Outside temperature display
You should pay special attention to road
conditions when temperatures are around
freezing point.
The outside temperature display is in the
multifunction display (Ypage 274).
Changes in the outside temperature are
displayed after a short delay.
Speedometer with segments
The segments in the speedometer indicate
which speed range is available.
RCruise control activated (Ypage 201):
The segments light up from the stored
speed to the maximum speed.
RDISTRONIC PLUS activated (Ypage 203):
One or two segments in the set speed
range light up.
RDISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle in front:
The segments between the speed of the
vehicle in front and the stored speed light
up.
Operating the on-board computer
Overview
CMultifunction display
DSwitches on the Voice Control System;
see the separate operating instructions