2015 MERCEDES-BENZ GL-Class steering

Braking
X
If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal vigorously until the braking sit- uation is over.
X To 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.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an indica-
tion of hazardous road conditions, and func-
tions 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 (Y page 259).
At speeds below 20 mph (30 km/h), the front
wheels lock cyclically during braking. The dig-
ging-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 situa-
tions. If you depress the brake pedal quickly,
BAS automatically boosts the braking force,
thus shortening the stopping distance.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 68). G
WARNING
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 X
Keep 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 i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 68).
BAS PLUS is only available in vehicles equip-
ped 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 G
WARNING
BAS PLUS cannot always clearly identify
objects and complex traffic situations.
In such cases, BAS PLUS may:
R intervene unnecessarily
R not intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation. Driving safety systems
69Safety Z

The spinning of the wheels results in a cut-
ting action for better traction on loose sur-faces.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
Off-road ESP ®
(vehicles with Off-Road
Engineering package) An ESP
®
system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once the off-
road program is activated (Y page 259).
Off-road ESP ®
intervenes with a delay if there
is oversteering or understeering, thus improv- ing 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 swerv-
ing. 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 prevail- ing 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 Assist 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 inter-
ventions to assist you in keeping the vehicle
in the lane.
Crosswind Assist is active at vehicle speeds
above 50 mph (80 km/h) when driving
straight ahead or cornering gently.
Important safety notes
Crosswind Assist does not work if ESP ®
is
deactivated or disabled because of a mal-
function. EBD (Electronic Brake force Distribu-
tion)
General information EBD monitors and controls the brake pres-
sure on the rear wheels to improve driving
stability while braking.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Y page 68). G
WARNING
If EBD has malfunctioned, the rear wheels can still lock, e.g. under full braking. This increa-
ses the risk of skidding and an accident.
You should therefore adapt your driving style
to the different handling characteristics. Have Driving safety systems
75Safety
Z

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 vehi-
cle, have the configuration and operation of
the radar sensors checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. This also applies to colli-
sions at low speeds where there is no visible
damage to the front of the vehicle.
Function X
To activate/deactivate: activate or deac-
tivate PRE-SAFE ®
Brake in the on-board
computer (Y page 284).
If the PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is not activated, the
00D4 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 00BA
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 approx-
imately 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. Auto-
matic emergency braking is not performed
until immediately prior to an imminent acci-
dent.
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 258), 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 partic-
ular 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.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 68). Driving safety systems
77Safety Z

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. Any-
one 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 star-
ted 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 0043flashes. The alarm sys-
tem 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 dash-
board. 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 0036or0037 button on the
SmartKey.
The alarm is switched off.
or
X Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
The alarm is switched off. 78
Theft deterrent locking systemSafety

Useful information
............................106
Correct driver's seat position ..........106
Seats .................................................. 107
Steering wheel .................................. 119
Mirrors ............................................... 122
Memory function .............................. 124 105Seats, steering wheel and mirrors

Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional equip- ment 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.
i Read the information on qualified special-
ist workshops (Y page 29). Correct driver's seat position
G
WARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do the following while driving:
R adjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors
R fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirror and fasten your seat belt before starting the engine. X
Observe the safety guidelines on seat
adjustment (Y page 107).
X Make sure that seat 0087is adjusted prop-
erly.
Electrical seat adjustment (Y page 108)
When adjusting the seat, make sure that:
R you are as far away from the driver's air bag
as possible.
R you are sitting in a normal upright position.
R you can fasten the seat belt properly.
R you have moved the backrest to an almost
vertical position.
R you have set the seat cushion angle so that
your thighs are gently supported.
R you can depress the pedals properly.
X Check whether the head restraint is adjus-
ted properly.
When doing so, make sure that you have
adjusted the head restraint so that the back of your head is supported at eye level by the
center of the head restraint. Also make
sure that you have adjusted the head
restraint so that the back of your head is as close to the head restraint as possible. Thiswill be the case if the head restraint is
adjusted correctly (Y page 109).
X Observe the safety guidelines on steering
wheel adjustment (Y page 119).
X Make sure that steering wheel 0043is adjus-
ted properly.
Adjusting the steering wheel manually
(Y page 119)
Adjusting the steering wheel electrically
(Y page 120)
When adjusting the steering wheel, make
sure that:
R you can hold the steering wheel with your
arms slightly bent.
R you can move your legs freely.
R you can see all the displays in the instru-
ment cluster clearly.
X Observe the safety guidelines for seat belts
(Y page 46). 106
Correct driver's seat positionSeats, steering wheel and mirrors

X
Check whether you have fastened seat
belt 0044properly (Y page 48).
The seat belt should:
R fit snugly across your body
R be routed across the middle of your shoul-
der
R be routed in your pelvic area across the hip
joints
X Before starting off, adjust the rear-view mir-
ror and the exterior mirrors in such a way
that you have a good view of road and traf-
fic conditions (Y page 122).
X Vehicles with a memory function: save
the seat, steering wheel and exterior mirror settings with the memory function
(Y page 124). Seats
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Children could become trapped if they adjust the seats, particularly when unattended.
There is a risk of injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave children unsupervised in the vehicle. G
WARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do the following while driving:
R adjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors
R fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirror and fasten your seat belt before starting the engine. G
WARNING
If you adjust the seat height carelessly, you or other vehicle occupants could be trapped andthereby injured. Children in particular could accidentally press the electrical seat adjust-
ment buttons and become trapped. There is a
risk of injury.
While moving the seats, make sure that your
hands or other body parts do not get under the
lever assembly of the seat adjustment sys-
tem. G
WARNING
When you adjust a seat, you or other vehicle
occupants could become trapped, e.g. on the seat guide rail. There is a risk of injury.
Make sure when adjusting a seat that no one
has any body parts in the sweep of the seat. G
WARNING
If head restraints are not installed and adjus-
ted correctly, they cannot provide protection
as intended. There is an increased risk of
injury in the head and neck area, e.g. in the
event of an accident or when braking.
Always drive with the head restraints instal-
led. Before driving off, make sure for every
vehicle occupant that the center of the head
restraint supports the back of the head at
about eye level. G
WARNING
The seat belt does not offer the intended level of protection if you have not moved the back-
rest to an almost vertical position. When brak-
ing or in the event of an accident, you could
slide underneath the seat belt and sustain
abdomen or neck injuries, for example. This
poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Adjust the seat properly before beginning
your journey. Always ensure that the backrest
is in an almost vertical position and that the
shoulder section of your seat belt is routed
across the center of your shoulder. G
WARNING
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained on the rear
seats than on the front-passenger seat. Thus, Seats
107Seats, steering wheel and mirrors
Z

we strongly recommend that children be
placed in the rear seat whenever possible.
Regardless of seating position, children 12
years old and under must be seated and prop- erly secured in an appropriately sized child
restraint system or booster seat recommen-
ded for the size and weight of the child. For
additional information, see the "Children in
the vehicle" section.
A child's risk of serious or fatal injuries is sig- nificantly increased if the child restraints are
not properly secured in the vehicle and/or thechild is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
! To avoid damage to the seats and the seat
heating, observe the following information:
R keep liquids from spilling on the seats. If
liquid is spilled on the seats, dry them as soon as possible.
R if the seat covers are damp or wet, do not
switch on the seat heating. The seat
heating should also not be used to dry
the seats.
R clean the seat covers as recommended;
see "Interior care".
R do not transport heavy loads on the
seats. Do not place sharp objects on the seat cushions, e.g. knives, nails or tools. The seats should only be occupied by
passengers, if possible.
R when the seat heating is in operation, do
not cover the seats with insulating mate-
rials, e.g. blankets, coats, bags, seat cov- ers, child seats or booster seats.
! Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell under or behind the seats when
moving the seats back. There is a risk that
the seats and/or the objects could be dam- aged.
i It is not possible to remove the head
restraints from the front seats. The rear-
compartment head restraints, however,
can be removed (Y page 110). For more information, contact a qualified
specialist workshop.
i Further related subjects:
R Important safety notes on air bags
(Y page 50)
R Cargo compartment enlargement (fold-
ing down the rear bench seat)
(Y page 346)
R Securing children in the vehicle
(Y page 62) Adjusting the seats electrically
0043
Head restraint height
0044 Seat cushion angle
0087 Seat height
0085 Seat fore-and-aft adjustment
0083 Backrest angle
i Vehicles with memory function: if PRE-
SAFE ®
has been triggered, the front-
passenger seat will be moved to a better
position if it was previously in an unfavora- ble position.
i You can store the seat settings using the
memory function (Y page 124). Adjusting the head restraints
General notes Pay attention to the important safety notes
(Y
page 107). 108
SeatsSeats, steering wheel and mirrors