2014 MERCEDES-BENZ GLK-Class brakes

R
drive very slowly.
R try to drive straight over the center of
obstacles: front wheel first, then rear
wheel. Traveling uphill
Approach/departure angle G
WARNING
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.
R Observe the rules on off-road driving.
R Do not drive at an angle on slopes, inclines
or gradients, but instead follow the direct
line of fall.
R Drive slowly.
R Avoid high engine speeds. Drive at
appropriate engine speeds (maximum
3,000 rpm).
R Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand
paddle shifter before tackling steep
downhill gradients.
R When driving down an incline, make use of
the engine's braking effect. Observe the
engine speed; do not overrev the engine.
R Check the brakes after prolonged off-road
driving.
i Hill start assist will aid you when pulling
away on a hill. For further information about
hill start assist, see (Y page 148).
Do not switch to transmission position N
when driving off-road. If you try to brake the
vehicle using the service brake, you could
lose control of the vehicle. If the gradient is
too steep for your vehicle, drive back down in
reverse gear.
Always observe the approach/departure
angle values (Y page 376). Maximum gradient-climbing capability Always observe the maximum gradient
climbing ability values (
Ypage 376).
Hilltops When driving up an uphill gradient, slightly
reduce pressure on the accelerator
immediately 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 traveling 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.
Otherwise, the vehicle could slip sideways,
tip and rollover.
R Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand
paddle shifter before tackling steep
downhill gradients.
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. Driving systems
Cruise control
Important safety 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 low gear in good time on long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden or towing a trailer. By doing Driving systems
173Driving and parking Z

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).
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:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed e.g.
in heavy traffic or on winding roads
R on slippery road surfaces. Braking or
accelerating could cause the drive wheels
to lose traction and the vehicle could then
skid
R when 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.
i Cruise control should not be activated
when driving off-road. Cruise control lever 0043
To activate or increase speed
0044 To activate or reduce speed
0087 To deactivate cruise control
0085 To activate at the current speed/last
stored speed
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display
for five seconds. In the multifunction display,
the segments between the stored speed and
the maximum speed light up.
Storing and maintaining the current
speed You can store the current speed if you are
driving faster than 20 mph (30 km/h).
X
Accelerate the vehicle to the desired
speed.
X Briefly press the cruise control lever
up 0043 or down 0044.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Cruise control is activated. The vehicle
automatically maintains the stored speed.
i Cruise control may be unable to maintain
the stored speed on uphill gradients. The
stored speed is resumed when the gradient
evens out. Cruise control maintains the
stored speed on downhill gradients by
automatically applying the brakes. 174
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Storing the current speed or calling up
the last stored speed G
WARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it differs
from the current speed, the vehicle
accelerates or decelerates. If you do not know
the stored speed, the vehicle could accelerate
or brake unexpectedly. There is a risk of an
accident.
Pay attention to the road and traffic
conditions before calling up the stored speed.
If you do not know the stored speed, store the
desired speed again.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you 0085.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
The first time cruise control is activated, it
stores the current speed or regulates the
speed of the vehicle to the previously
stored speed.
Setting a speed Keep in mind that it may take a brief moment
until the vehicle has accelerated or braked to
the speed set.
X
Press the cruise control lever up 0043for a
higher speed or down 0044for a lower speed.
X To adjust the set speed in 1 mph
increments (1 km/h increments): briefly
press the cruise control lever up 0043or
down 0044to the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up 0043or down 0044the last speed
stored is increased or reduced.
X To adjust the set speed in 5 mph
increments (10 km/h increments):
briefly press the cruise control lever
up 0043 or down 0044beyond the pressure
point.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up 0043or down 0044the last speed
stored is increased or reduced. i
Cruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. For
example, if you accelerate briefly to
overtake, cruise control adjusts the
vehicle's speed to the last speed stored
after you have finished overtaking.
Deactivating cruise control There are several ways to deactivate cruise
control:
X
Briefly press the cruise control lever
forwards 0087.
or
X Brake.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
R you depress the parking brake.
R you are driving at less than 20 mph
(30 km/h).
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
.
R you shift the transmission to position N
while driving.
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear
a warning tone. You will see the Cruise Cruise
Control Off
Control Off message in the multifunction
display for approximately five seconds.
i When you switch off the engine, the last
speed stored is cleared. DISTRONIC PLUS
Important safety notes DISTRONIC PLUS regulates the speed and
automatically helps you maintain the
distance to the vehicle detected in front.
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes automatically so
that the set speed is not exceeded.
You must select a low 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. Driving systems
175Driving and parking Z

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. G
WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS does not react to:
R people or animals
R stationary obstacles on the road, e.g.
stopped or parked vehicles
R oncoming 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. G
WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot always clearly
identify other road users and complex traffic
situations.
In such cases, DISTRONIC PLUS may:
R give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
R neither give a warning nor intervene
R accelerate unexpectedly
There is a risk of an accident.
Continue to drive carefully and be ready to
brake, in particular when warned to do so by
DISTRONIC PLUS. G
WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes your vehicle with up
to 40% of the maximum braking force. If this
braking force is insufficient, DISTRONIC PLUS
warns you visually and audibly. There is a risk
of an accident.
In such cases, apply the brakes yourself and
try to take evasive action. !
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:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
If you fail to adapt your driving style,
DISTRONIC PLUS can neither reduce the risk
of accident nor override the laws of physics.
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot take into account
the road, traffic and weather conditions.
DISTRONIC PLUS 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 DISTRONIC PLUS:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed e.g.
in heavy traffic or on winding roads
R on slippery road surfaces. Braking or
accelerating could cause the drive wheels
to lose traction and the vehicle could then
skid
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow
vehicles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or
vehicles driving on a different line.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R strong radar reflections, for example, in
parking garages
If DISTRONIC PLUS no longer detects a
vehicle in front, DISTRONIC PLUS may
unexpectedly accelerate the vehicle to the
stored speed. 176
Driving systemsDriving and parking

R
the transmission must be in position D.
R the hood must be closed.
R the driver's door must be closed when you
shift from Pto Dor your seat belt must be
fastened.
R the front-passenger door and rear doors
must be closed.
R the vehicle must not skid.
Activating while driving
When driving at speeds below 20 mph
(30 km/h), you can only activate DISTRONIC
PLUS if the vehicle in front has been detected
and is shown in the multifunction display. If
the vehicle in front is no longer detected and
displayed, DISTRONIC PLUS switches off and
a tone sounds.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you 0085, or press it up 0043or down 0044.
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
X Press the cruise control lever repeatedly
up 0043 or down 0044until the desired speed
is set.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to that of the
vehicle in front, but only up to the desired
stored speed.
i If you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DISTRONIC PLUS Override
DISTRONIC PLUS Override
message appears in the multifunction
display. The set distance to a slower-
moving vehicle in front will then not be
maintained. You will be driving at the speed
you determine by the position of the
accelerator pedal.
Activating when driving towards a
stationary vehicle
If the vehicle in front of you is stationary, you
can only activate DISTRONIC PLUS once your
vehicle is stationary as well.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you 0085, or press it up 0043or down 0044.
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected. i
DISTRONIC PLUS can only be activated at
under 20 mph (30 km/h) if a vehicle in front
has been detected. For this reason, it is
helpful if you have the DISTRONIC PLUS
distance display shown in the instrument
cluster (Y page 228).
X Press the cruise control lever repeatedly
up 0043 or down 0044until the desired speed
is set.
i You can use the cruise control lever to set
the stored speed and the control on the
cruise control lever to set the specified
minimum distance (Y page 180).
Pulling away
X If the vehicle in front pulls away: remove
your foot from the brake pedal.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you 0085.
or
X Accelerate briefly.
Your vehicle pulls away and adapts its
speed to that of the vehicle in front.
Driving
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle
in front has slowed down, it brakes your
vehicle. In this way, the distance you have
selected is maintained.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle
in front is driving faster, it accelerates your
vehicle, but only up to the speed you have
stored.
Changing lanes
If you change to the passing lane, DISTRONIC
PLUS supports you when:
R you are driving faster than 40 mph
(60 km/h)
R DISTRONIC PLUS is maintaining the
distance to a vehicle in front 178
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

R
you switch on the appropriate turn signal
R DISTRONIC PLUS does not detect a danger
of collision
If these conditions are fulfilled, your vehicle
is accelerated. Acceleration will be
interrupted if changing lanes takes too long
or if the distance between your vehicle and
the vehicle in front becomes too small.
i When changing lanes, DISTRONIC PLUS
monitors the left lane on left-hand drive
vehicles and the right lane on right-hand
drive vehicles.
Stopping G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, even if it is braked
only by DISTRONIC PLUS, it could roll away if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply.
R DISTRONIC PLUS has been deactivated
with the cruise control lever, e.g. by a
vehicle occupant or from outside the
vehicle.
R the electrical system in the engine
compartment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with.
R the battery is disconnected.
R the accelerator pedal has been depressed,
e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
There is a risk of an accident.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
DISTRONIC PLUS and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
Deactivating DISTRONIC PLUS
(Y page 181).
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle
in front is stopping, it brakes your vehicle until
it is stationary.
Once your vehicle is stationary, it remains
stationary and you do not need to depress the
brake.
i Depending on the specified minimum
distance, your vehicle will come to a
standstill at a sufficient distance behind the vehicle in front. The specified minimum
distance is set using the control on the
cruise control lever.
When DISTRONIC PLUS is activated, the
transmission is shifted automatically to
position Pif:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened.
R the engine is switched off, unless it is
automatically switched off by the ECO
start/stop function.
R the hood is opened.
R a system malfunction occurs.
R the power supply is not sufficient.
Setting a speed X
Press the cruise control lever up 0043for a
higher speed or down 0044for a lower speed.
X To adjust the set speed in 1 mph
increments (1 km/h increments): briefly
press the cruise control lever up 0043or
down 0044to the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up 0043or down 0044the last speed
stored is increased or reduced.
X To adjust the set speed in 5 mph
increments (10 km/h increments):
briefly press the cruise control lever
up 0043 or down 0044beyond the pressure
point.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up 0043or down 0044, the last speed
stored is increased or reduced.
i DISTRONIC PLUS is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. If you
accelerate to overtake, DISTRONIC PLUS
adjusts the vehicle's speed to the last
speed stored after you have finished
overtaking. Driving syste
ms
179Driving an d parking Z

Important safety notes
G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, it can still roll away
despite being braked by the HOLD function if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply.
R the HOLD function has been deactivated by
pressing the accelerator pedal or the brake
pedal, e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
R the electrical system in the engine
compartment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with.
R the 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:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
Deactivating the HOLD function
(Y page 184).
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if:
R
the vehicle is stationary
R the engine is running or if it has been
automatically switched off by the ECO
start/stop function
R the driver's door is closed or your seat belt
is fastened
R the parking brake is released
R the hood is closed.
R the transmission is in position D,Ror N
R DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated Activating the HOLD function X
Make sure that the activation conditions
are met.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Quickly depress the brake pedal further
until 00D9 appears in the multifunction
display.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
i If depressing the brake pedal the first
time does not activate the HOLD function,
wait briefly and then try again.
Deactivating the HOLD function The HOLD function is deactivated
automatically if:
R
you accelerate and the transmission is in
position Dor R.
R the transmission is in position P.
R you depress the brake pedal again with a
certain amount of pressure until 00D9
disappears from the multifunction display.
R you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
When the HOLD function is activated in
vehicles with an automatic transmission, the
transmission is shifted automatically to
position P if:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened.
R the engine is switched off, unless it is
automatically switched off by the ECO
start/stop function.
R the hood is opened.
R a system malfunction occurs.
R the power supply is not sufficient.
The horn will also sound at regular intervals if
the HOLD function is activated and you:
R switch the engine off, open the driver's
door and remove your seat belt.
R open the hood.
The sounding of the horn alerts you to the fact
that the vehicle has been parked while the 184
Driving systemsDriving and pa
rking

HOLD function is still activated. If you attempt
to lock the vehicle, the tone becomes louder.
The vehicle is not locked until the HOLD
function is deactivated.
i If the engine has been switched off, it
cannot be started again until the HOLD
function has been deactivated.
If there is a malfunction in the system or
power supply while the HOLD function is
activated, the Brake BrakeImmediately
Immediately message
is shown in the multifunction display.
Immediately depress the brake firmly until
the warning message in the multifunction
display goes out.
You can also shift the transmission to position
P. This deactivates the HOLD function. PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasonic sensors. It monitors the area
around your vehicle using six sensors in the
front bumper and four sensors in the rear
bumper. PARKTRONIC indicates visually and
audibly the distance between your vehicle
and an object.
PARKTRONIC is only an aid. It is not a
replacement for your attention to your
immediate surroundings. You are always
responsible for safe maneuvering, parking
and exiting a parking space. When
maneuvering, parking or pulling out of a
parking space, make sure that there are no
persons, animals or objects in the area in
which you are maneuvering.
! When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars.
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:
R switch on the ignition
R shift the transmission to position D,Ror N
R release the parking brake
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18 km/h). It is reactivated at lower
speeds. 0043
Sensors in the front bumper, left-hand
side (example)
Range of the sensors General notes
PARKTRONIC does not take objects into
consideration that are:
R
below the detection range, e.g. people,
animals or objects
R above the detection range, e.g.
overhanging loads, truck overhangs or
loading ramps
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
(Y page 309). Driving systems
185Driving and parking Z