2015 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE SUV trailer

vehicle with a difference in speed of less than
12 km/h, a delayed warning occurs.
The yellow indicator lamp goes out if reverse
gear is engaged. Active Blind Spot Assist is not
operational.
The brightness of the indicator/warning lamps
is adjusted automatically according to the
brightness of the surroundings.
Visual and acoustic collision warning
If you switch on the turn signals to change lanes
and a vehicle is detected in the side monitoring range, you receive a visual and acoustic collision
warning. You then hear a double warning tone
and red warning lamp :flashes. If the turn sig-
nal remains on, detected vehicles are indicated
by the flashing of red warning lamp :. There are
no further warning tones.
Course-correcting brake application If Active Blind Spot Assist detects a risk of a side
impact in the monitoring range, a course-cor-
recting brake application is carried out. This is
designed to help you avoid a collision. G
WARNING
A course-correcting brake application cannot always prevent a collision. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always steer, brake or accelerate yourself,
especially if Active Blind Spot Assist warns
you or makes a course-correcting brake appli-
cation. Always maintain a safe distance at the sides. If a course-correcting brake application occurs,
red warning lamp :flashes in the exterior mir-
ror and a dual warning tone sounds. In addition, display ;underlining the danger of a side col-
lision appears in the multifunction display. In very rare cases, the system may make an
inappropriate brake application. A course-cor-
recting brake application may be interrupted at
any time if you steer slightly in the opposite
direction or accelerate.
The course-correcting brake application is avail-
able in the speed range between 30 km/h and
200 km/h.
Either a course-correcting brake application
appropriate to the driving situation, or none at
all, may occur if:
R there are vehicles or obstacles, e.g. crash
barriers, close to both sides of your vehicle
R a vehicle approaches too closely on the side
R you have adopted a sporty driving style with
high cornering speeds
R you brake or accelerate significantly
R a driving safety system intervenes, such as
ESP ®
or PRE-SAFE ®
Brake
R ESP ®
is deactivated
R the Offroad program is activated (vehicles
without the Off-Road Engineering package)
R the Offroad or Offroad Plus drive program is
activated (vehicles with the Off-Road Engi-
neering package)
R the LOW RANGE off-road gear is activated
(vehicles with the Off-Road Engineering pack-
age)
R a loss of tyre pressure or a defective tyre is
detected
Activating Active Blind Spot Assist
X Make sure that Active Blind Spot Assist is
activated in the on-board computer
(Y page 291).
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition lock.
Warning lamps :in the exterior mirrors light
up red for approximately 1.5 seconds and
then turn yellow.
Towing a trailer
If you couple up a trailer, make sure that you
have correctly established the electrical con-
nection. This can be accomplished by checking
the trailer lighting. Active Blind Spot Assist is
then deactivated. The indicator lamps in the
exterior mirrors light up yellow and the Active Active
Blind Spot Assist not available when
Blind Spot Assist not available when
towing a trailer See Owner's Manual towing a trailer See Owner's Manual
message appears in the multifunction display. Driving systems
249Driving and parking Z

The warning vibration occurs earlier if:
R you approach the outer lane marking on a
bend
R the road has very wide lanes, e.g. a motorway
R the system detects solid lane markings
The warning vibration occurs later if:
R the road has narrow lanes
R you cut the corner on a bend
Lane-correcting brake application G
WARNING
A lane-correcting brake application cannot
always bring the vehicle back into the original lane. There is a risk of an accident.
Always steer, brake or accelerate yourself,
especially if Active Lane Keeping Assist warns
you or makes a lane-correcting brake appli-
cation. G
WARNING
Active Lane Keeping Assist does not detect
traffic conditions or road users. In very rare
cases, the system may make an inappropriate brake application, e.g. after intentionally driv-
ing over a solid lane marking. There is a risk of an accident.
An inappropriate brake application may be
interrupted at any time if you steer slightly in
the opposite direction. Always make sure that
there is sufficient distance to the side for
other traffic or obstacles. If you leave your lane under certain circumstan-
ces, the vehicle will brake briefly on one side.
This is intended to help you return the vehicle to
the original lane. If a lane-correcting brake application occurs,
display
:appears in the multifunction display.
A lane-correcting brake application can be made
after driving over a lane marking recognised as
being solid or broken. Before this, a warning
must have been issued by means of intermittent
vibration through the steering wheel. In addi-
tion, a lane with lane markings on both sides
must be detected.
In the case of a broken lane marking being
detected, a lane-correcting brake application
can only be made if a vehicle has been detected
in the adjacent lane. The following vehicles can have an influence on brake application: oncom- ing traffic, vehicles that are overtaking and vehi-
cles that are driving parallel to your vehicle.
i A further lane-correcting brake application
can only occur after your vehicle has returned
to the original lane.
No lane-correcting brake application occurs if: R you clearly and actively steer, brake or accel-
erate
R you cut the corner on a sharp bend
R you have switched on the turn signal
R a driving safety system intervenes, such as
ESP ®
, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake or Active Blind Spot
Assist
R you have adopted a sporty driving style with
high cornering speeds or high rates of accel-
eration
R ESP ®
is deactivated
R the transmission is not in position D
R on vehicles with a trailer tow hitch, the elec-
trical connection to the trailer has been cor-
rectly established
R the Offroad program is activated (vehicles
without the Off-Road Engineering package)
R the Offroad or Offroad Plus drive program is
activated (vehicles with the Off-Road Engi-
neering package)
R the LOW RANGE off-road gear is activated
(vehicles with the Off-Road Engineering pack-
age)
R an obstacle has been detected in the lane in
which you are driving
R a loss of tyre pressure or a defective tyre has
been detected and displayed Driving systems
251Driving and parking Z

There is a possibility that the Active Lane Keep-
ing Assist could misjudge the given traffic sit-
uation. An inappropriate brake application may
be interrupted at any time if:
R you steer slightly in the opposite direction
R you switch on the turn signal
R you clearly brake or accelerate
A lane-correcting brake application is interrup-
ted automatically if:
R a driving safety system intervenes, such as
ESP ®
, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake or Active Blind Spot
Assist
R lane markings are no longer detected
Activating Active Lane Keeping Assist
X Activate Active Lane Keeping Assist using the
on-board computer; to do so, select Stand‐
Stand‐
ard ard orAdaptive
Adaptive (Ypage 291).
If you drive at speeds above 60 km/ha nd lane
markings are detected, the lines in the assis- tance graphic display (Y page 290) are
shown in green. Active Lane Keeping Assist is
ready for use.
If Standard Standard is selected, no warning vibration
occurs if:
R you have switched on the turn signals. In
this event, the warnings are suppressed for a certain period of time.
R a driving safety system intervenes, such as
ABS, BAS or ESP ®
.
When Adaptive
Adaptive is selected, no warning vibra-
tion occurs if:
R you have switched on the turn signals. In
this event, the warnings are suppressed for a certain period of time.
R a driving safety system intervenes, such as
ABS, BAS or ESP ®
.
R you accelerate hard, e.g. kickdown.
R you brake hard.
R you steer actively, e.g. swerve to avoid an
obstacle or change lane quickly.
R you cut the corner on a sharp bend.
Towing a trailer
If you couple up a trailer, make sure that you
have correctly established the electrical con-
nection. This can be accomplished by checking
the trailer lighting. Lane-correcting brake appli-
cation does not take place when towing a trailer. Active Lane Keeping Assist is not activated and
the lines in the assistance graphic are grey. Off-road driving systems
4MATIC (permanent all-wheel drive) 4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are perma-
nently driven. Together with ESP ®
and 4ETS, it
improves the traction of your vehicle whenever
a drive wheel spins due to insufficient grip.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, 4MATIC can
neither reduce the risk of an accident nor over-
ride the laws of physics. 4MATIC cannot take
account of road, weather and traffic conditions. 4MATIC 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
lane.
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle raised.
This may damage the transfer case. Damage
of this sort is not covered by the Mercedes-
Benz implied warranty. All wheels must
remain either on the ground or be fully raised.
Observe the instructions for towing the vehi-
cle with all wheels in full contact with the
ground.
! A function or performance test should only
be carried out on a twin-axle dynamometer.
Before you operate the vehicle on such a
dynamometer, please consult a qualified
workshop. You could otherwise damage the
drive train or the brake system.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if you
use winter tyres (M+S tyres), with snow
chains if necessary.
Further information about "Driving off-road"
(Y page 199).
DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation) General notes
DSR is an aid to assist you when driving down-
hill. It keeps the speed of travel at the speed
selected on the on-board computer. The steeper
the downhill gradient, the greater the DSR brak- ing effect on the vehicle. When driving on flat
stretches of road or on an uphill gradient, the
DSR braking effect is minimal or non-existent.
DSR controls the vehicle’s speed when it is acti-
vated and the transmission is in position D,Ror
N. By accelerating or braking, you can always
drive at a higher or a lower speed than that set
on the on-board computer. 252
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

Hybrid drive system
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The hybrid drive system
has been switched off
automatically. You have been in an accident.
The hybrid drive system remains switched off if:
R the internal combustion engine cannot be restarted after a few
seconds.
R the red 6restraint system warning lamp in the instrument clus-
ter is lit.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The hybrid drive system
has been switched off
automatically. The multi-
function display also
shows a display mes-
sage. An electrical short circuit has occurred in the hybrid drive system or an
electrical connection has been disconnected.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction dis-
play (Y page 300).
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Towing a trailer
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Vehicles with level control:
The vehicle level may be changed uninten-
tionally, e.g. by other persons. If this happens while you are coupling or decoupling a trailer,
you could become trapped. In addition, other
people could become trapped if their limbs
are between the vehicle body and the wheels or underneath the vehicle. There is a risk of
injury.
When coupling or decoupling a trailer, make
sure that no one:
R opens or closes the doors or the tailgate
R initiates a level change or turns the
DYNAMIC SELECT Controller
R locks or unlocks the vehicle G
WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle/trailer
combination if it begins to swerve. The vehi-
cle/trailer combination could even overturn.
There is a risk of an accident.
On no account should you attempt to
straighten out the vehicle/trailer combina- tion by increasing speed. Decrease your
speed and do not countersteer. Brake if nec-
essary. G
WARNING
If the maximum permissible load for a carrier system is exceeded, the carrier could come
loose from the vehicle and endanger other
road users. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Never exceed the maximum permissible load
when using a carrier.
Exceeding the maximum permissible nose-
weight of the trailer drawbar on the ball coupling
may cause damage to the following:
R your vehicle
R the trailer
R the ball coupling
R trailer tow hitch
The vehicle/trailer combination could become
unstable.
If the noseweight used is lower than the mini-
mum permissible noseweight, the vehicle/
trailer combination could also become unstable. 272
Towing a trailerDriving and parking

To avoid hazardous situations:
R make sure to check the noseweight before
each journey
R use a drawbar noseweight as close as possi-
ble to the maximum noseweight
R do not exceed the maximum permissible
noseweight
R do not use a noseweight lower than the min-
imum noseweight
When reversing the vehicle towards the trailer,
make sure there is nobody between the trailer
and the vehicle.
Couple and uncouple the trailer carefully. If you do not couple the trailer to the towing vehicle
correctly, the trailer could become detached.
Make sure that the following values are not
exceeded:
R the permissible trailer drawbar noseweight
R the permissible trailer load
R the permissible rear axle load of the towing
vehicle
R the maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight of both the towing vehicle and the
trailer
The applicable permissible values, which must
not be exceeded, can be found:
R in your vehicle documents
R on the identification plates of the trailer tow
hitch and the trailer
R on the vehicle identification plate
If the values differ, the lowest value applies.
You will find the values approved by the manu-
facturer on the vehicle identification plates and
those for the towing vehicle under "Technical
data" (Y page 447).
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison to
when driving without a trailer.
The vehicle/trailer combination:
R is heavier
R is restricted in its acceleration and gradient-
climbing capability
R has an increased braking distance
R is affected more by strong crosswinds
R demands more sensitive steering
R has a larger turning circle
This can impair the vehicle's handling charac-
teristics. Adapt your driving style accordingly.
Maintain a safe distance. Drive carefully. When towing a trailer, always adjust your speed
to the current road and weather conditions. Do
not exceed the maximum permissible speed for
your vehicle/trailer combination. Notes on towing a trailer
General notes Check the tyre pressures when towing a trailer.
You will find the values in the tyre pressure table in the vehicle fuel filler flap (Y page 408).
Please note that when towing a trailer, the fol-
lowing driving systems have limited availability
or are not available at all.
R PARKTRONIC (Y page 225)
R Blind Spot Assist (Y page 244)
R Active Lane Keeping Assist (Y page 250)
R Active Parking Assist (Y page 228)
On vehicles without level control, the height of
the ball coupling will alter according to the load
placed on the vehicle. If necessary, use a trailer with a height-adjustable drawbar.
You will find fitting dimensions and loads under
"Technical data" (Y page 446).
Driving tips Observe the information on ESP
®
trailer stabili-
sation (Y page 77) and on pulling away with a
trailer (Y page 161).
Select the Comfortdrive program using the
DYNAMIC SELECT controller (Y page 166).
The maximum permissible speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations depends on the type of
trailer. Before beginning the journey, check the
trailer's documents to see what the maximum
permitted speed is. Observe the legally prescri-
bed maximum speed in the relevant country.
For certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the maxi-
mum permissible rear axle load is increased
when towing a trailer. See the "Technical data"
section to find out whether this applies to your
vehicle (Y page 447). If you utilise any of the
added maximum rear axle load when towing a
trailer, the vehicle/trailer combination may not
exceed a maximum speed of 100 km/hf or rea-
sons concerning the operating permit. This also
applies in countries in which the permissible
maximum speed for vehicle/trailer combina-
tions is above 100 km/h. Towing a trailer
273Driving and parking Z

When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison to
when driving without a trailer and it will con-
sume more fuel.
Use the left-hand gearshift paddle to shift to a
lower gear on long and steep downhill gradients.
This also applies if you have activated cruise
control, SPEEDTRONIC or DISTRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine, so
less braking will be required to maintain vehicle
speed. This relieves the load on the brake sys-
tem and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly. If you need additional
braking, depress the brake pedal repeatedly
rather than continuously.
Driving tips If the trailer swings from side to side:
X Do not accelerate.
X Do not countersteer.
X Brake if necessary.
R Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle in
front than when driving without a trailer.
R Avoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake gen-
tly at first to allow the trailer to run on. Then,
increase the braking force rapidly.
R The values given for gradient-climbing capa-
bilities from a standstill refer to sea level.
When driving in mountainous areas, note that
the power output of the engine, and conse-
quently the vehicle's gradient-climbing capa-
bility, decrease with increasing altitude. Swinging out the ball coupling
G
WARNING
If the ball coupling is not engaged, the trailer
may come loose. There is a risk of an accident.
Make sure that the ball coupling is securely
engaged and locked in position.
! Do not attempt to speed the up the swing-
out procedure by applying additional pressure
with your foot. The system could otherwise be
mechanically damaged. To fold out the ball coupling, you have two
options:
R use the switch in the driver's door (all vehicles
except PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles)
R use the switch in the tailgate
The trailer power socket is integrated into the
ball coupling and swivels out with it.
Only release the ball coupling when its range of movement is unobstructed. Folding out using the switch in the driver's
door (all vehicles except plug-in hybrid vehi-
cles):
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch the ignition on.
X Pull switch :briefly.
After a short time the ball coupling swings out from under the rear bumper. It can take up to
seven seconds before the ball coupling visibly
swings out.
X Remove the protective covering from the ball
coupling and store it in a safe place.
Until the ball coupling securely engages and
locks in a vertical position:
R indicator lamp ;flashes
R the multifunction display shows the display
message Trailer coupling extend‐ Trailer coupling extend‐
ing...
ing....
The ball coupling swivels back into the out-of-
use position when:
R you drive off before the Trailer
Trailercoupling
coupling
extending...
extending... display message has disap-
peared from the multifunction display
R the ball coupling encounters an obstacle in
the swinging range 274
Towing a trailerDriving and parking

Swinging out using the switch in the tail-
gate:
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary.
X Open the tailgate.
X Pull switch :briefly.
After a short time the ball coupling swings out from under the rear bumper. It can take up to
seven seconds before the ball coupling visibly
swings out.
X Remove the protective covering from the ball
coupling and store it in a safe place.
Until the ball coupling securely engages and
locks in a vertical position:
R indicator lamp ;flashes
R the multifunction display shows the display
message Trailer coupling extend‐ Trailer coupling extend‐
ing...
ing....
The ball coupling swivels back into the out-of-
use position when:
R you drive off before the Trailer Trailercoupling
coupling
extending...
extending... display message has disap-
peared from the multifunction display
R the ball coupling encounters an obstacle in
the swinging range
Further information:
R Display messages when towing a trailer
(Y page 332)
R Problems when swivelling the ball coupling
(Y page 279) Coupling up a trailer
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Vehicles with level control: If you disconnect the trailer cable, the vehicle
is lowered. This can cause you or others to
become trapped between the vehicle body
and tyres, or underneath the vehicle. This
poses a risk of injury.
Make sure that no-one is in the immediate
vicinity of the wheel arch or underneath the
vehicle when disconnecting the trailer cable.
Steel-sprung vehicles X
Shift the transmission to position P.
X Apply the electric parking brake.
X Position the trailer horizontally behind the
vehicle.
X Couple up the trailer.
X Establish the electrical connection between
the vehicle and the trailer.
X Check that the trailer lighting system is work-
ing.
Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package !
Before beginning the journey, make sure
that the trailer support wheel is completely
raised. Otherwise, the trailer or the vehicle
could be damaged by the lowered trailer sup- port wheel during the journey.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Apply the electric parking brake.
X Start the engine.
X Vehicles with the Off-Road Engineering
package:
set the vehicle level to normal level
(Y page 216).
X Vehicles without the Off-Road Engineer-
ing package:
select theComfortdrive pro-
gram using the DYNAMIC SELECT controller
(Y page 221).
X Switch off the engine.
X Close the doors and tailgate.
X Position the trailer horizontally behind the
vehicle.
X Couple up the trailer.
X Establish the electrical connection between
the vehicle and the trailer. Towing a trailer
275Driving and parking Z

X
Check that the trailer lighting system is work-
ing.
X Push the combination switch upwards and
downwards and check whether the corre-
sponding turn signal on the trailer is flashing.
A connected trailer is only detected when the
electrical connection is established correctly
and when the lighting system is working prop-
erly. The function of other systems also depends on this, for example:
R ESP ®
R PARKTRONIC
R Active Parking Assist
R Active Blind Spot Assist
R Active Lane Keeping Assist
i Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
if
you couple up a trailer, the vehicle initially
remains at the selected level of the drive pro- gram set. Observe the following when cou-
pling up a trailer:
R If the normal level was not selected previ-
ously, the vehicle automatically adopts the
normal level starting from a speed of
30 km/h. Even at higher speeds, it does not drop below the normal level.
R Vehicle levels below the normal level are
not available.
R The raised level is available up to a speed of
30 km/h.
R This also applies when using accessories
that are plugged into the socket of the
trailer tow hitch (e.g. a bicycle rack).
R Before driving with a trailer, please observe
the information on the trailer support
wheel. Uncoupling a trailer
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you uncouple a trailer with an engaged over- run brake, you could trap your hand between
the vehicle and the trailer drawbar. This poses a risk of injury.
Do not uncouple a trailer with an engaged
overrun brake. G
WARNING
Vehicles with level control:
If you disconnect the trailer cable, the vehicle is lowered. This can cause you or others to
become trapped between the vehicle body
and tyres, or underneath the vehicle. This
poses a risk of injury.
Make sure that no-one is in the immediate
vicinity of the wheel arch or underneath the
vehicle when disconnecting the trailer cable.
! Do not disconnect a trailer with an engaged
overrun brake. Otherwise, your vehicle could
be damaged by the rebounding of the overrun
brake.
! Remove the adapter cable before folding in
the ball coupling. You could otherwise dam-
age the rear bumper and the adapter cable.
Steel-sprung vehicles X
Shift the transmission to position P.
X Apply the electric parking brake.
X Secure the trailer against rolling away.
X Remove the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer.
Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package X
Shift the transmission to position P.
X Apply the electric parking brake.
X Start the engine.
X Close the doors and tailgate.
X Secure the trailer against rolling away.
X Remove the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer.
X Switch off the engine. Swinging the ball coupling in
! Do not attempt to speed the up the swing-
out procedure by applying additional pressure
with your foot. The system could otherwise be
mechanically damaged. 276
Towing a trailerDriving and parking