2015 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE SUV Owners Manual

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The coolant temperature
display is showing more
than 120 †. The coolant warning lamp may also
be on and a warning tone
may sound. The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine is no
longer being cooled sufficiently.
X Stop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant to
cool down.
X Check the coolant level (Y page 376). Observe the warning notes
as you do so and top up the coolant if necessary. If the coolant level is correct, the radiator fan may be faulty. The cool-
ant is too hot and the engine is no longer being cooled sufficiently.
X If the coolant temperature is below 120 †, you can continue driving
to the nearest qualified specialist workshop.
X Avoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving in moun-
tainous terrain and stop-start traffic. DYNAMIC SELECT controller
This section describes the DYNAMIC SELECT
controller for all vehicles except PLUG-
IN HYBRID vehicles. Information on the
DYNAMIC SELECT controller on PLUG-
IN HYBRID vehicles (Y page 267).
Use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to change
the drive program. Depending on the drive pro-
gram selected, the following vehicle character-
istics will change:
R the drive (engine and transmission manage-
ment)
R the transmission
R the suspension
R the steering
R the availability of the ECO start/stop function
If the ignition is switched off for less than four
hours, the previously selected drive program is
activated when the engine is next started. If the
ignition is switched off for more than four hours,
the Comfort drive program is activated when
the engine is next started. X
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles):
turn DYNAMIC SELECT controller :as
many times as necessary until the desired
drive program is selected.
The selected drive program appears in the
multifunction display. After five seconds the
display goes out.
In addition, the current drive program settings are displayed in the multimedia system dis-
play.
Drive programs available (all vehicles
except Mercedes-AMG vehicles): Individual
Individual settings
Sport
Sporty driving characteris-
tics
Comfort
Comfortable and economi-
cal driving characteristics Slippery
Optimal driving characteris-
tics on slippery or snow-
covered roads 166
DYNAMIC SELECT controllerDriving and parking

Offroad
Optimal driving characteris-
tics for easily negotiable off-
road terrain Offroad Plus
(vehicles with
Off-Road Engi-
neering pack-
age)
Optimal driving characteris-
tics for rough terrain Further information on:
R the Individual, Sport,Comfort andSlippery
drive programs (Y page 171)
R the Offroad drive program (vehicles without
Off-Road Engineering package)
(Y page 254)
R the Offroad andOffroad Plus drive pro-
grams (vehicles with Off-Road Engineering
package) (Y page 254) X
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: turn DYNAMIC
SELECT controller :as many times as nec-
essary until the desired drive program is
selected.
The selected drive program appears in the
multifunction display. After five seconds the
display goes out.
In addition, the current drive program settings are displayed in the multimedia system dis-
play.
Drive programs available (Mercedes-AMG
vehicles): Individual
Individual settings
Comfort
Comfortable and economi-
cal driving characteristics
Sport
Sporty driving characteris-
tics Sport Plus
Particularly sporty driving
characteristics
Slippery
Optimal driving characteris-
tics on slippery or snow-
covered roads Additional information for drive programs
(Y
page 171). Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor R,
the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do not simultaneously accelerate. G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake.
Observe the important safety notes for PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles (Y page 41). Automatic transmission
167Driving and parking Z

DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions j
Park position with parking lock
k Reverse gear
i Neutral
h Drive
The DIRECT SELECT lever is on the right of the
steering column.
The DIRECT SELECT lever always returns to its
original position. The current transmission posi-
tion P,R, Nor Dappears in the transmission
position display in the multifunction display
(Y page 168).
Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display The current transmission position and drive pro-
gram appear in the multifunction display. :
Transmission position
; Gear
= Drive program
The arrows in the transmission position display
show how and into which transmission positions
you can shift using the DIRECT SELECT lever.
If the transmission position display in the mul-
tifunction display is not working, you should pull away carefully to check whether the desired
transmission position is engaged. Ideally, you
should select transmission position D.Engaging park position P !
If the engine speed is too high, do not shift
the automatic transmission directly from Dto
R, from Rto Dor directly to P. Otherwise, the
automatic transmission could be damaged. j
Park position with parking lock
k Reverse gear
i Neutral
h Drive
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever in the direction
of arrow P.
Engaging park position P automatically Park position
Pis automatically engaged if:
R you switch off the engine using the key and
remove the key
R you switch off the engine using the key or
using the Start/Stop button and open the
driver's door or front-passenger door
R you open the driver's door when the vehicle is
stationary or when driving at a very low speed
and the transmission is in position Dor R
Under certain conditions, the automatic trans-
mission shifts automatically to transmission
position Pif the HOLD function or DISTRONIC
PLUS is activated. Observe the information on
the HOLD function (Y page 220) and on
DISTRONIC PLUS (Y page 210).
Engaging reverse gear R !
Only shift the automatic transmission to
R
when the vehicle is stationary. 168
Automatic transmissionDriving and pa
rking

X
If the transmission is in position Dor N: push
the DIRECT SELECT lever up past the first
point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position P: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT lever up past the first point of resistance.
Shifting to neutral N G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle, they can:
R open doors and endanger other persons or
road users
R climb out and be injured by the traffic
R operate vehicle equipment and, for exam-
ple, trap themselves.
Children could also set the vehicle in motion, for example by:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
R starting the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key
with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle. Always
keep the key out of reach of children.
X If the transmission is in position Dor R: push
the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down to the
first point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position P: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT
lever up or down to the first point of resist-
ance.
If you switch the engine off with the transmis-
sion in position Ror D, the automatic transmis-
sion shifts to Nautomatically.
With the key: if you then open the driver's door
or the front-passenger door or remove the key
from the ignition, the automatic transmission
shifts to Pautomatically.
With the Start/Stop button: if you then open
the driver's door or the front-passenger door,
the automatic transmission shifts to Pautomat-
ically. If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral
N, e.g. when having the vehicle
cleaned in an automatic car wash with a towing
system:
With the key:
X Switch the ignition on.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the key in the
ignition lock.
With the Start/Stop button: X Remove the Start/Stop button from the igni-
tion lock.
X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
X Switch the ignition on.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the key in the
ignition lock.
Engaging drive position D X
If the transmission is in position Ror N: push
the DIRECT SELECT lever down past the first
point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position P: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT lever down past the first point of resistance. Automatic transmission
169Driving and parking Z

Transmission positions
B Park position
This prevents the vehicle from rolling away when stopped. Only shift the
transmission into position Pwhen
the vehicle is stationary
(Y page 225).
Park position Pis automatically
engaged if:
R you switch off the engine using the
key and remove the key
R you switch off the engine using the
key or using the Start/Stop button
and open the driver's door or front- passenger door
R you open the driver's door when
the vehicle is stationary or driving
at very low speed and the trans-
mission is in position Dor R C Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission into posi- tion Rwhen the vehicle is stationary. A Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to N
while driving. Otherwise, the auto-
matic transmission could be dam-
aged.
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels.
Releasing the brakes will allow you to
move the vehicle freely, e.g. to push
it or tow it.
If ESP ®
is deactivated or faulty: shift
the transmission to position Nif the
vehicle is in danger of skidding, e.g.
on icy roads.
If you switch the engine off with the
transmission in position Ror D, the
automatic transmission shifts to N
automatically.
! Rolling in neutral
Ncan lead to
damage to the transmission. 7 Drive
The automatic transmission changes gear automatically. All forward gears
are available. Driving tips
Changing gear The automatic transmission shifts to the indi-
vidual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position
D. Gearshifting is determined
by:
R the selected drive program
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the road speed
Accelerator pedal position Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
R little throttle: early upshifts
R more throttle: late upshifts
Kickdown Use kickdown for maximum acceleration:
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
X Ease off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up.
Gliding mode All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles)
Gliding mode is characterised by the following:
R the combustion engine is disconnected from
the drive train
R the engine speed is equal to the engine idling
speed
R the gear indicated after the transmission
position Ddisappears in the multifunction
display (Y page 168)
Gliding mode can be activated under the follow-
ing conditions:
R you select the "ECO" setting for the drive sys-
tem within the Individualdrive program. You
can find information about this in the Digital
Owner's Manual
R the speed is within a suitable range 170
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking

R
the type of road is suitable, e.g. no steep gra-
dients
R you are no longer depressing the accelerator
pedal
Gliding mode is deactivated under the following
conditions:
R you depress the accelerator pedal
R you depress the brake pedal
R you use the DIRECT SELECT lever to switch
the transmission position (Y page 168)
R you use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
change the drive program (Y page 166)
R you activate manual gearshifting
(Y page 172)
R you leave the suitable speed range
Mercedes-AMG vehicles Gliding mode is characterised by the following:
R the combustion engine is disconnected from
the drive train
R the engine speed is equal to the engine idling
speed
R in the multifunction display, the gliding sym-
bol appears in the drive program display
Gliding mode can be activated under the follow-
ing conditions:
R the Comfort drive program is activated or you
select the "Comfort" setting for the drive sys-
tem within the Individualdrive program. You
can find information about this in the Digital
Owner's Manual
R the ECO start/stop function is activated
R you are driving carefully with low acceleration
of the vehicle
R the engine is at normal operating temperature
R the speed is within a suitable range
R the type of road is suitable, e.g. no steep gra-
dients
R you are no longer depressing the accelerator
pedal
Gliding mode is deactivated under the following conditions:
R you have deactivated the ECO start/stop
function
R you depress the accelerator pedal
R you depress the brake pedal
R you use the DIRECT SELECT lever to switch
the transmission position (Y page 168)R
you use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
change the drive program (Y page 166)
R you activate manual gearshifting
(Y page 172)
R you leave the suitable speed range
Towing a trailer X
Drive in the middle of the engine speed range
on uphill gradients.
X Depending on the uphill or downhill gradient,
use left-hand steering wheel gearshift paddle
(Y page 172) to select a lower gear, even if
cruise control, DISTRONIC PLUS, or SPEED-
TRONIC are activated. Drive programs
Slippery drive program The
Slippery drive program has the following
characteristics:
R reduced engine and transmission settings for
optimum propulsion on slippery or snow-cov-
ered roads.
R optimised ESP ®
stability control on slippery
or snow-covered roads.
R the vehicle has improved driving stability on
slippery or snow-covered roads, for example.
Comfort drive program The
Comfort drive program has the following
characteristics:
R comfort-orientated engine and transmission
settings.
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from the
automatic transmission shifting up sooner.
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears unless the accel-
erator pedal is depressed fully.
R the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being driven
at lower engine speeds and the wheels being less likely to spin. Automatic transmission
171Driving and parking Z

Sport drive program
The
Sport drive program has the following char-
acteristics:
R sporty engine and transmission settings.
R the automatic transmission shifting up later.
As a result of the later automatic transmission
shift points, the fuel consumption possibly
being higher.
R the suspension exhibits sporty damping (vehi-
cles with AIRMATIC).
Drive program Sport Plus (Mercedes-
AMG vehicles) The
Sport Plus drive program has the following
characteristics:
R the vehicle exhibits particularly sporty driving
characteristics.
R the vehicle pulling away in first gear.
R the automatic transmission shifting up later.
As a result of the later automatic transmission
shift points, the fuel consumption possibly
being higher.
R the suspension exhibits particularly firm
springing and damping settings (vehicles with
AIRMATIC).
R the ECO start/stop function is deactivated, it
can, however, be activated again using the
ECO button (Y page 163).
Individual drive program In the
Individual drive program, the following
properties of the drive program can be selected:
R the drive (engine and transmission manage-
ment)
R the transmission
R the suspension
R all vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehicles):
the steering
R all vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehicles):
availability of the ECO start/stop function
To select the gears in the Individualdrive pro-
gram permanently using the steering wheel pad- dles, select the permanent manual gearshift
program.
Information about configuring the Individual
drive program with the multimedia system can
be found in the Digital Owner's Manual. Manual gearshifting
General notes You can change gear yourself using the steering
wheel gearshift paddles. The transmission must be in position D.
Depending on which gearshift paddle is pulled,
the automatic transmission immediately shifts
into the next gear up or down, if permitted.
To use manual shifting, you have two options:
R temporary setting
R permanent setting
If you activate manual gearshifting, the multi-
function display will show the current gear
instead of transmission position D.
If manual gearshifting is deactivated, the gears
will be selected automatically.
Temporary setting X
To activate: shift the DIRECT SELECT lever to
position D.
X Pull steering wheel gearshift paddle :or;.
Further information on activating manual gear-
shifting on PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles
(Y page 267).
Temporary setting will be active for a certain
amount of time. Under certain conditions the
minimum amount of time is extended, e.g. in the case of lateral acceleration, during an overrun
phase or when driving on steep terrain.
X To deactivate: pull steering wheel gearshift
paddle ;and hold it in place.
or X Use the DIRECT SELECT lever to shift the
transmission position. 172
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

or
X Use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
change the drive program.
Permanent setting (all vehicles except
Mercedes-AMG vehicles) X
To activate: shift the DIRECT SELECT lever to
position D.
X Press button :.
X To deactivate: press button:.
or X Use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
change the drive program.
Permanent setting (Mercedes-AMG
vehicles) X
To activate: shift the DIRECT SELECT lever to
position D.
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. X
To deactivate: press button:.
or
X Use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
switch to the Individualdrive program.
Indicator lamp ;goes out.
Shifting gears !
Mercedes-AMG vehicles:
the automatic
transmission does not shift up automatically
even when the engine limiting speed for the
current gear is reached. When the engine lim- iting speed is reached, the fuel supply is cut to
prevent the engine from overrevving. Always
make sure that the engine speed does not
reach the red area of the rev counter. There is
otherwise a risk of engine damage. X
To shift up: pull steering wheel gearshift pad-
dle ;.
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): if the maximum engine speed on the
currently engaged gear is reached and you
continue to accelerate, the automatic trans-
mission automatically shifts up in order to
prevent engine damage.
X To shift down: pull steering wheel gearshift
paddle :.
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
Automatic downshifting occurs when coast-
ing.
If the engine exceeds the maximum engine
speed when shifting down, the automatic
transmission protects against engine damage
by not shifting down. Automatic transmission
173Driving and parking Z