2016 MERCEDES-BENZ GL-Class ESP

If the brake system has only been subject to
moderate loads, you should test the function-
ality of your brakes at regular intervals. To do
so, depress the brake pedal firmly when driv-
ing at a high speed. This improves the grip of
the brake pads.
You can find a description of Brake Assist
(BAS) on (
Ypage 69) or of BAS PLUS on
(
Ypage 69).
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only
have brake pads/linings installed on your
vehicle which have been approved for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which correspond
to an equivalent quality standard. Brake
pads/linings which have not been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which are not
of an equivalent quality could affect your vehi-
cle's operating safety.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only
use brake fluid that has been specially
approved for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz,
or which corresponds to an equivalent quality
standard. Brake fluid which has not been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which is not of an equivalent quality could
affect your vehicle's operating safety.
High-performance brake system
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
The high-performance brake system is
designed for heavy loads. This may lead to
noise when braking. This will depend on:
RSpeed
RBraking force
REnvironmental conditions, such as temper-
ature and humidity
The wear of individual components of the
brake system, such as the brake pads/linings
or brake discs, depends on the individual driv-
ing style and operating conditions.
For this reason, it is impossible to state a
mileage that will be valid under all circum-
stances. An aggressive driving style will lead
to high wear. You can obtain further informa- tion about this from your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after sev-
eral hundred kilometers of driving. Compen-
sate for this by applying greater force to the
brake pedal. Keep this in mind, and adapt
your driving and braking accordingly during
this break-in period.
Excessive heavy braking results in corre-
spondingly high brake wear. Observe the
#
brake wear warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster and note any brake status mes-
sages in the multifunction display. Especially for high performance driving, it is important to
maintain and have the brake system checked
regularly.
Driving on wet roads
Hydroplaning
If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of
hydroplaning occurring, even if:
Ryou drive at low speeds.
Rthe tires have adequate tread depth.
For this reason, in the event of heavy rain or in conditions in which hydroplaning may occur,
you must drive in the following manner:
Rlower your speed.
Ravoid ruts.
Ravoid sudden steering movements.
Rbrake carefully.
Driving on flooded roads
!Do not drive through flooded areas.
Check the depth of any water before driving through it. Drive slowly through standing
water. Otherwise, water may enter the
vehicle interior or the engine compartment.
This can damage the electronic compo-
nents in the engine or the automatic trans-
mission. Water can also be drawn in by the
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ues are requiredbylaw and must therefore
always beaccurate.
The outside temperature indicator isnot
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and istherefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes inthe outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indic ated temperatures just above the freez-
ing poin tdo not guarantee that the road sur-
face isfree of ice. The road may still beicy,
especial ly inwooded areas or on bridges. You
should pay special attention to road condi-
tions when temperatures are around the
freezing point.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (
Ypage 407).
For more information on driving with summer
tires, see (
Ypage 406).
Observe the notes inthe "Winter operation"
section (
Ypage 406).
Off-road driving
Important safety notes
GWARNIN G
If you driv eon asteep inclin eat an angle or
tur nwhen driving on an incline, th evehicl e
could slip sideways, ti pand rollover. Ther eis a
ris kof an accident.
Always driv eon asteep inclin ein th elin eof
fall (straight up or down )and do no ttur nth e
vehicle.
GWARNIN G
Flammable materia lsuc has leaves, gras sor
twigs may ignit eif they come int ocontact wit h
hot part sof th eexhaust system. Ther eis aris k
of fire.
When driving off road or on unpaved roads,
check th evehicle's underside regularly. In
particular, remove part sof plants or other
flammable materials whic hhave become
trapped .In th ecas eof damage, contact a
qualified specialist workshop.
GWARNIN G
If th evehicl eleve lis high ,th evehicl ecente rof
gravity is raised. This could caus eth evehicl e
to tip ove rmor eeasil yon uphill or downhill
gradients .Ther eis aris kof an accident.
Selec tth elowes tpossible vehicl elevel.
!There isa risk of damage to the vehicle if:
Rthe vehicle becomes stuck, e.g. on a high
curb or an unpaved road
Ryou drive too fast over an obstacle, e.g. a
curb or a hole inthe road
Ra heavy object strikes the undercarriage
or parts of the chassis
In situations like this, the body, the under-
carriage, chassis parts, wheels or tires
could bedamaged without the damage
being visible. Components damaged inthis
way can unexpectedly fail or, inthe case of
an acc ident, no longer withstand the strain
they are designed to.
If the underbody paneling isdamaged,
combusti blematerials such as leaves,
grass or twigs can gather between the
underbody and the underbody paneling. If
these materials come incontact with hot
parts of the exhaust system, they can catch
fire.
In such situations, have the vehicle
checked and repaired immediately at a
qualif ied specialist workshop. Ifon con-
tinuing your journey you notice that driving
safety isimpaired, pullover and st op t
he
vehicle immediately, paying attention to
road and traff iccond itions. Insuch cases,
consult a qualified specialist workshop.
When driving off-road, substances such as
sand, mud and water or water mixed with oil
may get into the brakes. This could result ina
reduced braking effect or intotal brake failure
and also inincreased wear and tear. The brak-
ing characteristics change depending on the
material ingressing the brakes. Clean the
brakes after driving off-road. Ifyou detect a
reduced braking effect or grinding noises,
have the brake system checked inaqualif ied
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RDrive quickly to overcome the rolling resist-ance. Otherwise the vehicle's wheels could
become stuck in loose ground.
RDrive in the tracks of other vehicles if pos-
sible. Make sure that:
-the tire ruts are not too deep.
-the sand is sufficiently firm.
-the ground clearance of the vehicle is
sufficient.
Tire ruts and gravel roads
!Check that the ruts are not too deep and
that your vehicle has sufficient clearance.
Otherwise, your vehicle could be damaged
or bottom out and get stuck.
Observe the following rules when driving
along ruts in off-road terrain or on roads with
loose gravel:
RSelect a higher vehicle level.
RAvoid high engine speeds.
RShift to a lower gear using the left-hand
steering wheel paddle shifter.
RDrive slowly.
RWhere ruts are too deep, drive with the
wheels of one side on the center grassy
area, if possible.
Driving over obstacles
!Obstacles could damage the floor of the
vehicle or components of the chassis. Ask
passengers for guidance when driving over
large obstacles. The passenger should
always keep a safe distance from the vehi-
cle when doing so in order to avoid injury as a result of unexpected vehicle movements.
After driving off-road or over obstacles,
check the vehicle for possible damage,
especially to the underbody and the com-
ponents of the chassis.
Observe the following rules when driving over
tree stumps, large stones and other obsta-
cles:
RSelect the LOW RANGE off-road gear
(
Ypage 259).
RRaise the vehicle level.
RAvoid high engine speeds.
RShift to a lower gear using the left-hand
steering wheel paddle shifter.
RDrive very slowly.
RDrive straight over the center of obstacles.
Traveling uphill
Approach/departure angle
GWARNING
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.
RObserve the rules on off-road driving.
RDo not drive at an angle on slopes, inclines
or gradients, but instead follow the direct
line of fall.
RWhen driving down an incline, make use of
the engine's braking effect. Observe the
engine speed; do not overrev the engine.
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select a lower 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 over-
heating and wearing too quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can
store any road speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h).
iCruise control should not be activated
when driving off-road.
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise
control can neither reduce the risk of an acci-
dent 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 dis-
tance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed,
for braking in good time and for staying in
your lane.
Do not use cruise control:
Rin road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed e.g.
in heavy traffic or on winding roads
Ron slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel- erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid
Rwhen 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.
Cruise control lever
:To activate or increase speed
;To activate or reduce speed
=To deactivate cruise control
?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.
Activation conditions
To activate cruise control, all of the following
activation conditions must be fulfilled:
Rthe electric parking brake must be
released.
Ryou are driving faster than 20 mph
(30 km/h).
RESP®must be active, but not intervening.
Rthe transmission must be in position D.
RDSR must be deactivated.
Roff-road program 2 must be deactivated
(vehicles with the ON&OFFROAD package).
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press the cruise control lever up:or
down ;to the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up :or down ;the last speed
stored is increased or reduced.
iCruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. For exam-
ple, if you accelerate briefly to overtake,
cruise control adjusts the vehicle's speed
to the last speed stored after you have fin- ished overtaking.
Deactivating cruise control
There are several ways to deactivate cruise
control:
XBriefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards :.
or
XBrake.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
Ryou engage the electric parking brake
Ryou are driving at less than 20 mph
(30 km/h)
RESP®intervenes or you deactivate ESP®
Ryou activate DSR
Ryou activate off-road program 2 on vehicles
with the ON&OFFROAD package
Ryou shift the transmission to position N
while driving
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone. You will see the Cruise Con‐
trol Offmessage in the multifunction dis-
play for approximately five seconds.
iWhen you switch off the engine, the last
speed stored is cleared.
DISTRONIC PLUS
General notes
DISTRONIC PLUS regulates the speed and
automatically helps you maintain the dis-
tance to the vehicle detected in front. Vehi-
cles are detected with the aid of the radar
sensor system. DISTRONIC PLUS brakes
automatically so that the set speed is not
exceeded.
You must select a lower 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.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that there is a risk
of a collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically. DISTRONIC PLUS cannot pre-
vent a collision without your intervention. An
intermittent warning tone will then sound and
the distance warning lamp will light up in the
instrument cluster. Brake immediately in
order to increase the distance to the vehicle
in front or take evasive action provided it is
safe to do so.
For DISTRONIC PLUS to assist you, the radar
sensor system must be operational.
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control in the speed range between 20 mph
(Canada: 30 km/h) and 120 mph (Canada:
200 km/ h). If a vehicle is driving in front of
you, it operates in the speed range between
0 mph (0 km/h) and 120 mph (Canada:
200 km/h).
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS while driving on
roads with steep gradients.
As DISTRONIC PLUS transmits radar waves, it
can resemble the radar detectors of the
responsible authorities. You can refer to the
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relevant section in the Operator's Manual if
questions are asked about this.
iUSA only:
This device has been approved by the FCC
as a "Vehicular Radar System". The radar
sensor is intended for use in an automotive
radar system only. Removing, tampering
with, or altering the device will void any
warranties, and is not permitted by the
FCC. Do not tamper with, alter, or use in
any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
iCanada only: This device complies with
RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful inter-
ference, and
2. This device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Removal, tampering, or altering of the
device will void any warranties, and is not
permitted. Do not tamper with, alter, or use in any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user's authority to
operate the equipment.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS does not react to:
Rpeople or animals
Rstationary obstacles on the road, e.g. stop- ped or parked vehicles
Roncoming 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 sit- uation and be ready to brake.
GWARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot always clearly iden-
tify other road users and complex traffic sit-
uations.
In such cases, DISTRONIC PLUS may:
Rgive an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
Rneither give a warning nor intervene
Raccelerate or brake 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.
GWARNING
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 automati-
cally in certain situations.
To prevent damage to the vehicle, deacti-
vate DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD func- tion in the following or other similar situa-
tions:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin 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.
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Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS:
Rin road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed e.g.
in heavy traffic or on winding roads
Ron slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid
Rwhen 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:
Rthere is dirt on the sensors or anything else covering the sensors
Rthere is snow or heavy rain
Rthere is interference by other radar sources
Rthere are strong radar reflections, for
example, in parking garages
If DISTRONIC PLUS no longer detects a vehi- cle in front, DISTRONIC PLUS may unexpect-
edly accelerate the vehicle to the stored
speed.
This speed may:
Rbe too high if you are driving in a filter lane
or an exit lane
Rbe so high when driving in the right-hand
lane that you overtake vehicles in the left-
hand lane
Rbe so high when driving in the left-hand lane
that you overtake vehicles in the right-hand
lane
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever
:To activate or increase speed
;To activate or reduce speed
=To deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS
?To activate at the current speed/last
stored speed
ATo set the specified minimum distance
Activating DISTRONIC PLUS
Activation conditions
In order to activate DISTRONIC PLUS, the fol-
lowing conditions must be fulfilled:
Rthe engine must be started. It may take up
to two minutes after pulling away before
DISTRONIC PLUS is operational.
Rthe electric parking brake must be
released.
RESP®must be active, but not intervening.
Rthe transmission must be in position D.
Rthe driver's door must be closed when you
shift from Pto Dor your seat belt must be
fastened.
Rthe front-passenger door and rear doors
must be closed.
Roff-road program 2 must be deactivated
(vehicles with the ON&OFFROAD package).
RDSR must be deactivated.
Rthe vehicle must not skid.
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speed stored after you have finished over-
taking.
DISTRONIC PLUS is automatically deactiva-
ted if:
Ryou engage the electric parking brake or if
the vehicle is automatically secured with
the electric parking brake
Ryou are driving slower than 15 mph
(25 km/h) and there is no vehicle in front,
or if the vehicle in front is no longer detec-
ted
RESP®intervenes or you deactivate ESP®
Rthe transmission is in the P,Ror Nposition
Ryou pull the cruise control lever towards
you in order to pull away and the front-
passenger door or one of the rear doors is
open
Ryou activate DSR
Ryou activate off-road program 2 on vehicles
with the ON&OFFROAD package
Rthe vehicle has skidded
If DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, you will
hear a warning tone. You will see the
DISTRONIC PLUS Off
message in the multi-
function display for approximately five sec-
onds.
Displays in the instrument cluster
Displays in the speedometer
Example: DISTRONIC PLUS displays in the speed-
ometer
When DISTRONIC PLUS is activated, one or
two segments ;in the set speed range light
up.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle in front,
segments ;between speed of the vehicle in
front =and stored speed :light up.
iFor design reasons, the speed displayed
in the speedometer may differ slightly from
the speed set for DISTRONIC PLUS.
Assistance graphic display when
DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated
:Vehicle in front, if detected
;Distance indicator, current distance to
the vehicle in front
=Specified minimum distance to the vehi-
cle in front; adjustable
?Own vehicle
XSelect the Distance Displayfunction
using the on-board computer
(
Ypage 281).
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