2016 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE-Class Owner's Manual

Selecting Sport Plus tuning (Mercedes-
AMG vehicles)
The very firm setting of the suspension setting in
theSport Plus drive program ensures the best
possible contact with the road. Select this drive
program when employing a sporty driving style, e.g. on winding country roads or primarily when
driving on race circuits.
DSR is not available in the Sport Plusdrive pro-
gram. For further information on DSR, see
(
Ypage 236).
XSelect the Sport Plus drive program using
DYNAMIC SELECT controller :.
The vehicle is lowered by 0.4 in (10 mm) com-
pared to the normal level.
Active Curve System
The ACTIVE CURVE SYSTEM uses active stabil-
izers to optimize both driving comfort and vehi-
cle dynamics. Depending on the drive program
selected (
Ypage 206), the ACTIVE CURVE SYS-
TEM also changes the setting.
If you have selected the Comfortdrive program:
Rrolling movement is reduced in the event of
changing surface undulations
Rthe roll angle when cornering is reduced
Rthe driving is dynamic
If you have selected the Sportdrive program:
Rthe roll angle is reduced significantly
Rthe driving is even more dynamic
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: if you have selected
the Sport Plus drive program:
Rthe roll angle is reduced even more signifi-
cantly
Rthe driving is designed for maximum dyna-
mism
Vehicle level
Important safety notes
GWARNING
When the vehicle is being lowered, 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.
Make sure no one is underneath the vehicle or
in the immediate vicinity of the wheel arches
when the vehicle is being lowered.
GWARNING
When you drive with the vehicle raised, the
driving characteristics could be impaired by
the vehicle's raised center of gravity. The vehi-
cle could rollover more easily, for example on
a bend. There is a risk of an accident.
Always select as low a vehicle level as possi-
ble and adjust your driving style.
GWARNING
When you drive with the chassis lowered or
raised, the vehicle's braking and driving char-
acteristics can be significantly impaired. You
could also exceed the permissible vehicle
height if the chassis is raised. There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the vehicle level before pulling away.
GWARNING
Due to the high center of gravity, the vehicle
may start to skid and roll over in the event of
an abrupt steering maneuver and/or when
the vehicle's speed is not adapted to the road
conditions. There is a risk of an accident.
Always adapt your speed and driving style to
the vehicle's driving characteristics and to the
prevailing road and weather conditions.
!When driving on extremely rough terrain,
select a high vehicle level in good time. Make
sure there is always sufficient ground clear-
ance. You will otherwise damage the vehicle.
RUtility vehicles have a significantly higher roll- over rate than other types of vehicles.
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Failure to operate this vehicle safely may
result in an accident, rollover of the vehicle,
and severe or fatal injury.
RIn a rollover crash, an unbelted person is sig-
nificantly more likely to die than a person
wearing a seat belt.
You and all vehicle occupants should always
wear your seat belts.
General notes
Only select raised level if this is appropriate for
the road conditions. Otherwise, fuel consump-
tion may increase and handling may be affected.
Make changes to the vehicle level while the
vehicle is in motion. This enables the vehicle to
adjust to the new level as quickly as possible.
The vehicle level may change visibly if you park
the vehicle and the outside temperature
changes. If the temperature drops, the vehicle
level is lower; with an increase in temperature,
the vehicle level rises.
If you unlock the vehicle or open a door, the
vehicle begins to compensate for load discrep-
ancies while still parked. However, for signifi-
cant level changes, such as after the vehicle has
been stationary for a long period, the engine
must be on. For safety reasons, the vehicle is
only lowered when the doors are closed. Low-
ering is interrupted if a door is opened, and it
continues once the door has been closed.
Vehicles with no trailer coupled:below a
speed of 40 mph (64 km/h), you can select
between the normal and raised vehicle level.
Select the normal vehicle level for normal road
su

rfaces and the raised vehicle level for driving
with snow chains or on particularly poor road
surfaces. Your selection remains stored even if
you remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
If you try to select raised level at a speed above
40 mph (64 km/h), the Drive More Slowly
message appears in the multifunction display.
Vehicles with a trailer coupled: below a speed
of 19 mph (30 km/h), you can select between
the normal and raised vehicle level.
Setting the raised vehicle level
XStart the engine.
If indicator lamp ;is not lit:
XPress button :.
Indicator lamp ;flashes while the vehicle is
being raised, and lights up continuously as
soon as the vehicle reaches the desired level.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): the vehicle is lowered by 2.4 in (60 mm)
compared to the normal level.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: the vehicle is
raised by 2 in (50 mm) compared to the nor-
mal level.
The Vehicle Rising
message appears in the
multifunction display.
The message remains until the raised level is
reached.
If you press the %ora button on the
multifunction steering wheel, the message will
disappear.
The raised level setting is canceled if you:
Rdrive at speeds above 50 mph (80 km/h) (all
vehicles except Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
Rdrive at speeds above 43 mph (70 km/h)
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
Rdrive between 40 mph (64 km/h) and 50 mph (80 km/h) for approximately 20 seconds (all
vehicles except Mercedes-AMG vehicles).
Rdrive at speeds between 40 mph (64 km/h)
and 43 mph (70 km/h) for approximately
20 seconds (Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
Rdrive at speeds above 19 mph (30 km/h) with
a trailer
The raised vehicle level remains saved when you
are not driving within these speed ranges.
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Driving and parking

Setting the normal vehicle level
!Make sure that there is enough ground
clearance when the vehicle is being lowered.
It could otherwise hit the ground, damaging
the underbody.
XStart the engine.
If indicator lamp ;is lit:
XPress button :.
Indicator lamp ;flashes while the vehicle is
being lowered, and goes out as soon as the
desired vehicle level is reached.
Vehicles with no trailer coupled: the vehi-
cle is adjusted to the height of the selected
drive program (
Ypage 152).
Vehicles with a trailer coupled: the vehicle
is adjusted to normal level regardless of the
drive program selected (
Ypage 152). The
vehicle remains at the normal level, even if the
drive program is changed.
During the adjustment, the Lowering
mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
If you press the %ora button on the
multifunction steering wheel, the message will
disappear.
AMG adaptive sport suspension sys-
tem
General notes
iAMG adaptive sport suspension system is
available for Mercedes-AMG vehicles and for
the GLE 450.
The electronically controlled damping system
works continuously. This improves driving
safety and ride comfort. The damping is tuned individually to each wheel
and depends on:
Ryour driving style, e.g. sporty
Rthe road surface condition, e.g. bumps
Ryour individual selection of Sport, Sport + or
Comfort
The suspension setting can be adjusted using
the corresponding button in the center console
or the DYNAMIC SELECT controller
(
Ypage 152).
Each time you start the engine with the ignition
key or the Start/Stop button, Comfort mode is
activated. For further information about starting
the engine, see (
Ypage 147).
Sport mode
The firmer setting of the suspension tuning in
Sport mode ensures even better contact with
the road. Select this mode when employing a
sporty driving style, e.g. on winding country
roads.
XPress button :repeatedly until indicator
lamp =lights up.
You have selected Sport mode.
The AMG Suspension System SPORT
mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
Sport + mode
The very firm setting of the suspension setting in
Sport + mode ensures the best possible contact
with the road. Select this mode only when driv-
ing on race circuits.
If indicator lamps ;and =are off:
XPress button :repeatedly until indicator
lamp ;lights up.
You have selected Sport + mode.
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TheAMGSuspensionSystemSPORT +mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
In "Sport +" mode, the vehicle is lowered by
10 mm compared to the normal level.
Comfort mode
In Comfort mode, the driving characteristics of
your vehicle are more comfortable. Select this
mode if you favor a more comfortable driving
style, but also when driving fast on straight
roads, e.g. highways.
XPress button :repeatedly until indicator
lamps ;and =go out.
You have selected Comfort mode.
The AMG
SuspensionSystemCOMFORTmes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes
PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasonic sensors. It monitors the area around
your vehicle using six sensors in the front
bumper and six sensors in the rear bumper.
PARKTRONIC indicates visually and audibly the
distance between your vehicle and an object.
PARKTRONIC is only an aid. It is not a replace-
ment for your attention to your immediate sur-
roundings. You are always responsible for safe
maneuvering, parking and exiting a parking
space. When maneuvering, parking or pulling
out of a parking space, make sure that there are
no persons, animals or objects in the area in
which you are maneuvering.
!When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such as
flower pots or trailer drawbars. PARKTRONIC
does not detect such objects when they are in
the immediate vicinity of the vehicle. You
could damage the vehicle or the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and other
objects that absorb ultrasonic waves.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic car
wash, the compressed-air brakes on a truck
or a pneumatic drill could cause PARKTRONIC
to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain.
!Fold in the ball coupling if the trailer tow
hitch is not required. PARKTRONIC measures
the minimum detection range to an obstacle
from the bumper, not the ball coupling.
PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area
when you establish an electrical connection
between your vehicle and a trailer.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when
you:
Rswitch on the ignition
Rshift the transmission to position D,Ror N
Rrelease the electric parking brake
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18 km/h). It is reactivated at lower
speeds.
Range of the sensors
General notes
PARKTRONIC does not take objects into con-
sideration that are:
Rbelow the detection range, e.g. people, ani-
mals or objects.
Rabove the detection range, e.g. overhanging
loads, truck overhangs or loading ramps.
:Sensors in the front bumper, left-hand side
(example)
The sensors must be free from dirt, ice or slush.
They can otherwise not function correctly. Clean
the sensors regularly, taking care not to scratch
or damage them (
Ypage 365).
210Driving systems
Driving and parking

Range
Front sensors
CenterApprox. 40 in (approx.
100 cm)
CornersApprox. 24 in (approx.
60 cm)
Rear sensors
CenterApprox. 48 in (approx.
120 cm)
CornersApprox. 32 in (approx.
80 cm)
Minimum distance
CenterApprox. 8 in (approx. 20 cm)
CornersApprox. 6 in (approx. 15 cm)
If there is an obstacle within this range, the rel-
evant warning displays light up and a warning
tone sounds. If the distance falls below the min-
imum, the distance may no longer be shown.
Warning displays
:Segments on the left-hand side of the vehi-
cle
;Segments on the right-hand side of the vehi-cle
=Segments showing operational readiness
The warning displays show the distance
between the sensors and the obstacle. The
warning display for the front area is located on
the dashboard above the center air vents. The
warning display for the rear area is located on
the headliner in the rear compartment.
The warning display for each side of the vehicle
is divided into five yellow and two red segments.
PARKTRONIC is operational if yellow segments
showing operational readiness =light up.
The selected transmission position and the
direction in which the vehicle is rolling deter-
mine which warning display is active when the
engine is running.
Transmission posi-
tionWarning display
DFront area activated
R, Nor the vehicle is
rolling backwardsRear and front areas
activated
PNo areas activated
One or more segments light up as the vehicle
approaches an obstacle, depending on the vehi-
cle's distance from the obstacle.
From the:
Rsixth segment onwards, you will hear an inter-
mittent warning tone for approximately two
seconds.
Rseventh segment onwards, you will hear a
warning tone for approximately two seconds.
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This indicates that you have now reached the
minimum distance.
Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC
:Indicator lamp
;To deactivate/activate PARKTRONIC
If indicator lamp :is on then PARKTRONIC is
deactivated. Active Parking Assist is then also
deactivated.
iPARKTRONIC is automatically activated
when you turn the SmartKey to position 2in
the ignition lock.
212Driving systems
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Problems with PARKTRONIC
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
Only the red segments in
the PARKTRONIC warn-
ing displays are lit. You
also hear a warning tone
for approximately two
seconds.
PARKTRONIC is deacti-
vated after approx-
imately five seconds,
and the indicator lamp in
the PARKTRONIC button
lights up.PARKTRONIC has malfunctioned and has switched off.
XIf problems persist, have PARKTRONIC checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Only the red segments in
the PARKTRONIC warn-
ing displays are lit.
PARKTRONIC is deacti-
vated after approx-
imately five seconds.The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or there is interference.
XClean the PARKTRONIC sensors (Ypage 365).
XSwitch the ignition back on.
The problem may be caused by an external source of radio or ultra-
sound waves.
XSee if PARKTRONIC functions in a different location.
Active Parking Assist
General notes
Active Parking Assist is an electronic parking aid
with ultrasound. It measures the road on both
sides of the vehicle. A parking symbol indicates a suitable parking space. Active steering inter-
vention and brake application can assist you
during parking. You may also use PARKTRONIC
(
Ypage 210).
Important safety notes
Active Parking Assist is merely an aid. It is not a
replacement for your attention to your immedi-
ate surroundings. You are always responsible
for safe maneuvering, parking and exiting a
parking space. Make sure that no persons, ani-
mals or objects are in the maneuvering range.
When PARKTRONIC is switched off, Active Park-
ing Assist is also unavailable.
GWARNING
While parking or pulling out of a parking
space, the vehicle swings out and can drive
onto areas of the oncoming lane. This could
result in a collision with another road user.
There is a risk of an accident.
Pay attention to other road users. Stop the
vehicle if necessary or cancel the Active Park- ing Assist parking procedure.
!If unavoidable, you should drive over obsta-
cles such as curbs slowly and not at a sharp
angle. Otherwise, you may damage the
wheels or tires.
Active Parking Assist may possibly indicate
parking spaces which are not suitable for park-
ing, for example:
Rwhere parking or stopping is prohibited
Rin front of driveways or entrances and exits
Ron unsuitable surfaces
Parking tips:
ROn narrow roads, drive as close to the parking
space as possible.
RParking spaces that are littered or overgrown
might be identified or measured incorrectly.
RParking spaces that are partially occupied by
trailer drawbars might not be identified as
such or be measured incorrectly.
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RSnowfall or heavy rain may lead to a parking
space being measured inaccurately.
RPay attention to the PARKTRONIC
(Ypage 211) warning messages during the
parking procedure.
RAt any time, you can intervene in the steering procedure to correct it. Active Parking Assist
will then be canceled.
RWhen transporting a load which protrudes
from your vehicle, you should not use Active
Parking Assist.
RNever use Active Parking Assist when snow
chains are installed.
RMake sure that the tire pressures are always
correct. This has a direct influence on the
parking characteristics of the vehicle.
Use Active Parking Assist for parking spaces:
Rparallel or at right angles to the direction of
travel
Rthat are on straight roads, not bends
Rthat are on the same level as the road, e.g. not
on the pavement
Detecting parking spaces
Objects located above the height range of Active Parking Assist will not be detected when the
parking space is measured. These are not taken
into account when the parking procedure is cal-
culated, e.g. overhanging loads, tail sections or
loading ramps of goods vehicles.
GWARNING
If there are objects above the detection range:
RActive Park Assist may steer too early
Rthe vehicle may not stop in front of these
objects
You may cause a collision as a result. There is
a risk of an accident.
If objects are located above the detection
range, stop and deactivate Active Parking
Assist.
For further information on the detection range
(
Ypage 210). Active Parking Assist does not assist you park-
ing in spaces at right angles to the direction of
travel if:
Rtwo parking spaces are located directly next
to one another
Rthe parking space is directly next to a low
obstacle such as a low curb
Ryou park forwards
Active Parking Assist does not assist you park-
ing in spaces that are parallel or at right angles
to the direction of travel if:
Rthe parking space is on a curb
Rthe system reads the parking space as being
blocked, for example by foliage or grass pav-
ing blocks
Rthe area is too small for the vehicle to maneu-
ver into
Rthe parking space is bordered by an obstacle,
e.g. a tree, a post or a trailer
:Detected parking space on the left
;Parking symbol
=Detected parking space on the right
Active Parking Assist is switched on automati-
cally when driving forwards. The system is
operational at speeds of up to approximately
22 mph (35 km/h). While in operation, the sys-
tem independently locates and measures park-
ing spaces on both sides of the vehicle.
Active Parking Assist will only detect parking
spaces:
Rparallel or at right angles to the direction of
travel
Rthat are parallel to the direction of travel and
at least 59 in (1.5 m) wide
Rthat are parallel to the direction of travel and
at least 39.5 in (1.0 m)longer than your vehi-
cle
Rthat are at right angles to the direction of
travel and at least 39.5 in (1.0 m) wider than
your vehicle
iNote that Active Parking Assist cannot
measure the size of a parking space if it is at
214Driving systems
Driving and parking