2015 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE SUV Owners Manual

Offroad program (vehicles without the
Offroad Engineering package) General notes
Select the Offroaddrive program for easily
negotiable offroad terrain, e.g. dirt tracks, gravel
or sandy surfaces. The engine's torque is restric-
ted to a limited degree and the drive wheels can
spin. The spinning of the wheels results in a cut-
ting action for better traction. ABS, ESP ®
and
4ETS programs especially adapted to off-road
driving are activated. A gentle accelerator pedal curve is also selected, i.e. the accelerator pedal
must be depressed much further in order to
accelerate.
You can select the Offroaddrive program at
speeds below 100 km/h. TheDrive
Drive program program
"Offroad" Max. speed 100 km/h
"Offroad" Max. speed 100 km/h message
appears in the multifunction display. If you drive
at speeds of more than 100 km/ha nd select the
Offroad drive program, the Please reduce
Please reduce
speed
speed message appears in the multifunction
display. The last active drive program is selected
again.
Do not use the Offroaddrive program on roads
that are snow-covered or icy, or if you have fitted
your vehicle with snow chains.
Selecting the Offroad drive program Selecting the Offroad drive program
X To select a drive program: turn DYNAMIC
SELECT controller :until indicator lamp ;
lights up.
The Drive program "Offroad" Max.
Drive program "Offroad" Max.
speed 100 km/h speed 100 km/h message appears in the
multifunction display.
The vehicle is raised by 60 mm.
The vehicle changes from the Offroaddrive pro-
gram to the Comfortdrive program if you drive
faster than 110 km/h. The
Please Please reduce
reducespeed
speedmessage appears in
the multifunction display.
Further information about "Driving off-road"
(Y page 199).
Offroad programs (vehicles with Off-
road Engineering package) General notes
The Offroad andOffroad Plus drive programs
assist you when driving off-road. The engine’s
performance characteristics and the gearshift-
ing characteristics of the automatic transmis-
sion are adapted for this purpose. ABS, ESP ®
and 4ETS programs especially adapted to off-
road driving are activated. An accelerator pedal
curve suitable for the terrain is selected, i.e. the accelerator pedal must be depressed further to
accelerate.
Do not use the OffroadorOffroad Plus drive
programs on roads that are snow-covered or icy, or if you have fitted your vehicle with snow
chains.
Offroad drive program :
DYNAMIC SELECT controller
; Offroad drive program indicator lamp
Select the Offroaddrive program for easily
negotiable offroad terrain, e.g. dirt tracks, gravel
or sandy surfaces. The engine's torque is restric-
ted to a limited degree and the drive wheels can
spin. The spinning of the wheels results in a cut-
ting action for better traction. ABS, ESP ®
and
4ETS programs especially adapted to off-road
driving are activated. A gentle accelerator pedal curve is also selected, i.e. the accelerator pedal
must be depressed much further in order to
accelerate.
You can select the Offroaddrive program at
speeds below 100 km/h. The Drive
Drive program program 254
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

"Offroad" Max. speed 100 km/h
"Offroad" Max. speed 100 km/h
message
appears in the multifunction display. If you drive
at speeds of more than 100 km/h and select the
Offroad drive program, the Please reduce
Please reduce
speed
speed message appears in the multifunction
display. The last active drive program is selected again.
Selecting the Offroad drive program
X To select a drive program: turn DYNAMIC
SELECT controller :until indicator lamp ;
lights up.
The Drive program "Offroad" Max.
Drive program "Offroad" Max.
speed 100 km/h speed 100 km/h message appears in the
multifunction display.
The vehicle is raised by 30 mm.
The vehicle changes from the Offroaddrive pro-
gram to the Comfortdrive program if you drive
faster than 110 km/h.
The Please
Please reduce reducespeed
speedmessage appears in
the multifunction display.
Offroad Plus drive program :
DYNAMIC SELECT controller
; Offroad Plus drive program indicator lamp
Select the Offroad Plus drive program for rough
terrain, e.g. for steep and/or uneven terrain or
for driving on rocky terrain.
Your vehicle has an automatically activated dif-
ferential lock for the transfer case. It controls
the balance between the front and rear axles.
The differential lock improves the vehicle's trac-
tion. 4ETS (Y page 76) controls the balance
between both wheels on an axle. Selecting the Offroad Plus drive program
X To select a drive program: turn DYNAMIC
SELECT controller :until indicator lamp ;
lights up.
The Drive program "Offroad Plus"
Drive program "Offroad Plus"
Max. speed 40 km/h Max. speed 40 km/h message appears in
the multifunction display.
R The Offroad Plus drive program is selected
and the vehicle is raised by 30 mm com-
pared with the Offroaddrive program.
R DSR is switched on.
R The differential lock is closed.
You can select the Offroad Plus drive program at speeds below 40 km/h.
The Offroad Plus drive program automatically
switches to the Offroad drive program if you
drive faster than 45 km/h. The Please Pleasereduce
reduce
speed
speed message appears in the multifunction
display.
Further information about "Driving off-road"
(Y page 199).
LOW RANGE offroad gear (vehicles with
the Offroad Engineering package) Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you select the LOW RANGE off-road gear on a slippery road surface, the wheels could lose traction:
R if you release the accelerator pedal when
the vehicle is in motion
R if Off-road ABS intervenes when braking
If the wheels lose traction, it will no longer be
possible to steer the vehicle. This increases
the risk of skidding and having an accident.
Never select the LOW RANGE off-road gear
when driving on slippery road surfaces. G
WARNING
If you do not wait for the transfer case gear
change process to complete, the transfer
case could remain in the neutral position. The power transmission to the driven wheels is
then interrupted. There is a danger of the
vehicle rolling away unintentionally. There is a
risk of an accident. Driving systems
255Driving and parking
Z

Wait until the transfer case shift process is
completed.
Do not turn off the engine while changing gear
and do not shift the automatic transmission to
another position.
General notes :
LOW RANGE offroad gear button
; LOW RANGE offroad gear indicator lamp HIGH RANGE
Position for all normal on-
road driving conditions.
LOW RANGE
Off-road position for driving
off-road and fording.
The transmission ratio
between the engine and
wheels is only approx-
imately one third of that in
the HIGH RANGE road posi-
tion. The drive torque is cor-
respondingly higher as a
result.
Do not use LOW RANGE:
R on slippery road surfaces,
e.g. in the event of slush
R on snow or ice-covered
roads
R if you have snow chains
on your vehicle The LOW RANGE offroad gear assists you when
driving off-road and when fording. When LOW
RANGE is engaged, the engine’s performance
characteristics and the gearshifting character-
istics of the automatic transmission are adapted
for this purpose.
Further information about "Driving off-road"
(Y page 199). You will find information about driving safety systems in conjunction with
LOW RANGE in the "Safety" section (Y
page 70).
From HIGH RANGE to LOW RANGE ! Only change from HIGH RANGE to LOW
RANGE if:
R the engine is running
R the transmission is in position N
R you are driving at speeds below 40 km/h
X Press LOW RANGE button :.
Indicator lamp ;flashes.
When the gear change is complete, indicator
lamp ;lights up. LOW RANGE indicator
appears in the multifunction display and in the
status indicator.
While indicator lamp ;is flashing, you can
cancel the gear change by pressing LOW
RANGE button :again.
i You cannot activate LOW RANGE if the
SPORT drive program is activated. The LOW
LOW
RANGE
RANGE Not Notin
indrive
drive program
program SPORT
SPORTmes-
sage then appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
From LOW RANGE to HIGH RANGE ! Only change from HIGH RANGE to LOW
RANGE if:
R the engine is running
R the transmission is in position N
R if you are driving at speeds below
70 km/h X
Press LOW RANGE button :.
Indicator lamp ;flashes.
When the gear change is complete, indicator
lamp ;goes out. In the multifunction dis-
play, the LOW RANGE Off LOW RANGE Off message appears
and status indicator =goes out. 256
Driving systemsDriving and parking

While indicator lamp
;is flashing, you can
cancel the gear change by pressing LOW
RANGE button :again. Driving systems
257Driving and parking Z

Messages in the multifunction display
If a gear change process has not been successful, the following messages may be displayed in the
multifunction display: Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions LOW RANGE Max.
LOW RANGE Max.
speed 40 km/h speed 40 km/h You have been driving faster than 40 km/h. Additionally, the indicator
lamp on the button in the centre console blinks.
X Drive more slowly to carry out the gear change process. LOW RANGE Shift to
LOW RANGE Shift to
position N briefly position N briefly The transmission is in position
Dand you are driving at below
40 km/h.
X Shift the transmission to Nto complete the gear change process. LOW RANGE Shifting
LOW RANGE Shifting
cancelled Please cancelled Please
reactivate reactivate The gear change process was not carried out.
X Maintain all gear change conditions and carry out the gear change
process again. LOW RANGE Stop
LOW RANGE Stop
Apply parking brake Apply parking brake A warning tone also sounds. The gear change process has not been
completed. LOW RANGE is in the neutral position. There is no con-
nection between the engine and the drive wheels.
! Do not drive any further. You could otherwise damage the vehi-
cle’s drive train.
X Stop the vehicle. Take into account the road and traffic conditions
when doing so.
X Apply the electric parking brake (Y page 192).
X Repeat the gear change process.
If the gear change process has been carried out, the LOW RANGE LOW RANGE
Stop Apply parking brake
Stop Apply parking brake message disappears.Driving dynamics display in the
COMAND display (vehicles with the Off-
road Engineering-package) General notes
The driving dynamics display allows you to see
the selected drive program and additional infor-
mation about the vehicle's operating status in
the COMAND display. :
Drive program selected
; Status of the differential lock for the transfer
case
= Accelerator pedal position shown in %
? Brake pedal position shown in %
A Status of the LOW RANGE offroad gear
B Angle of inclination
C Steering angle
D Uphill or downhill gradient in percentage 258
Driving systemsDriving and parking

E
Level control
F Compass with angle scale
Activating the driving dynamics display X
Switch on COMAND Online. You can find fur-
ther information in the separate COMAND
Online operating instructions.
X Press button :.
The driving dynamics display appears in the
COMAND display. Plug-in hybrid operation
Points to remember
General notes Hybrid technology combines a fuel efficient
internal combustion engine with a powerful
electric motor. In HYBRIDmode, the hybrid
drive system automatically selects the most effi-
cient operating mode for every driving situation. Drive the vehicle in the usual manner.
To save fuel in HYBRIDmode, the hybrid drive
system switches off the combustion engine as
often as possible during the journey when power
output requirements are low. When power out-
put requirements are low, the electric motor
powers the vehicle. When power output require- ments are high, the combustion engine is
switched on, even during a journey. When the
vehicle is stationary, the combustion engine is
usually switched off. Consequently, there is usu-
ally no engine idling as with combustion engine
vehicles.
For pulling away and accelerating, the electric
motor supports the internal combustion engine using the power stored in the high-voltage bat-
tery. In addition, the power is used for electric
driving, operation of the electric refrigerant compressor and to supply the 12 V on-board
electrical system. In this way the hybrid drive
system helps to reduce your vehicle's fuel con-
sumption.
Observe the driving tips on plug-in hybrid oper-
ation (Y
page 268).
Recuperative Brake System If you release the accelerator pedal when the
vehicle is in motion, overrun recuperation is ini- tiated. The electric motor is operated as a alter-
nator when in overrun mode and when you
brake. Hybrid technology converts the kinetic
energy of the vehicle into electricity and stores
it in the high-voltage battery.
Observe the important safety notes for the
Recuperative Brake System (Y page 43). Important safety notes
If the engine is switched off by the ECO start/
stop function, you open the driver's door and
unfasten your seat belt: R a message appears in the multifunction dis-
play and
R a warning tone sounds
For further information, see (Y page 320).
All of the vehicle's systems remain active, if:
R the vehicle is stationary
R the combustion engine is switched off
R the READY-indicator in the instrument cluster
is lit
If you remove your foot from the brake pedal
while in transmission position D or R, the vehicle
could pull away automatically.
Observe the notes on the READY display of the
ECO start/stop function (Y page 269).
Vehicles with an electric motor generate signif-
icantly less noise than vehicles with internal
combustion engines. As a result, your vehicle
may not be heard by other road users in certain situations. This is the case, for example, when
you are parking and your vehicle is not seen by
other road users.
This requires you to adopt a particularly antici-
patory driving style, as it is necessary to allow
for the possibility that other road users may
behave unpredictably. Plug-in hybrid operation
259Driving and parking Z

Hybrid system overview
:
Battery charger and voltage converter
; Vehicle socket
= Power electronics
? 12 V battery
A High-voltage electrical system cables
B Transmission with electric motor
C High-voltage battery
D Electric heater
E Recuperative Brake System
F Electric refrigerant compressor
You can switch off the hybrid drive system manually. Further information on the high-voltage dis-
connect device (Y page 41).260
Plug-in hybrid operationDriving and parking

Instrument cluster
:
Electric range
; Electric motor power display (Y page 261)
= Driving mode display (Y page 262)
? Recuperative Brake System warning lamp (Y page 340)Displays and operation
Electric motor power display The electric motor power display is on the right-
hand side of the instrument cluster.
R Area :to; (E-DRIVE):
This shows the electric output from the elec-
tric motor, e.g. during electric operation or in boost mode.
When the motor is switched on, the needle is
at limit :. With increasing pressure on the
accelerator pedal the needle moves from :
to ;. Driving with the electric motor:
when the
needle reaches limit ;the combustion
engine is switched on. If the display
approaches limit ;and you remove your foot
from the accelerator pedal, the needle drops
again. The combustion engine is not switched
on. At low speeds, you can thereby control the electric operation usage so that you only drivein electric mode.
Driving with the combustion engine: the
electric motor supports the combustion
engine by providing additional drive torque
(boost mode) until the needle reaches
limit ;.
You can also select the operating mode of the
hybrid drive system (Y page 262).
R Area =to? (CHARGE):
This shows the recuperated energy which is
stored in the high-voltage battery as electrical
energy.
When the needle reaches limit ?, the maxi-
mum recuperative braking power has been
reached. The mechanical brakes are activa-
ted. Plug-in hybrid operation
261Driving and parking Z