Summer tires.....................................3 89
Sun visor ............................................ 340
Suspension setting
AMG adaptive sport suspension
system ...........................................2 09
Suspension settings
SETUP (on-board computer) .......... 277
SUV
(Sport Utility Vehicle) ....................... 28
Switching air-recirculation mode
on/off ................................................. 138
T
Tachometer ........................................ 263
Tail lamps
Display message ............................ 293
Tailgate
Display message ............................ 312
Emergency unlocking ....................... 90
Important safety notes .................... 87
Limiting the opening angle ...............9 0
Opening dimensions ......................4 41
Opening/closing (automatically
from inside) ...................................... 89
Opening/closing (automatically
from outside) ................................... 88
Opening/closing (from outside) ....... 88
Power closing .................................. 86
Tank
see Fuel tank
Tank content
Fuel gauge ....................................... 34
Technical data
Capacities ...................................... 433
Emergency spare wheel ................. 430
Information ....................................4 31
Tires/wheels ................................. 413
Trailer loads ................................... 445
Vehicle data ................................... 441
Telephone
Accepting a call (multifunction
steering wheel) .............................. 270
Display message ............................ 314
Menu (on-board computer) ............ 270
Number from the phone book ........2 70
Redialing ........................................ 271
Rejecting/ending a call ................. 270 Temperature
Coolant (display in the instrument
cluster) .......................................... 264
Coolant (on-board computer,
Mercedes-AMG vehicles) ...............2 77
Coolant (on-board computer) ......... 273
Engine oil (on-board computer,
Mercedes-AMG vehicles) ...............2 77
Outside temperature ......................2 64
Setting (climate control) ................ 134
Transmission oil (on-board com-
puter, Mercedes-AMG vehicles) ..... 277
Through-loading feature ................... 332
Time
see separate operating instructions
Timing (RACETIMER) ......................... 277
Tire pressure
Calling up (on-board computer) ..... 394
Checking manually ........................ 393
Displ ay message ............................ 309
Ma
ximum ....................................... 393
Not reached (TIREFIT) .................... 373
Notes ............................................. 392
Reached (TIREFIT) .......................... 373
Recommended ............................... 390
Tire pressure loss warning system
General notes ................................ 393
Important safety notes .................. 394
Restarting ...................................... 394
Tire pressure monitor
Checking the tire pressure elec-
tronically ........................................ 396
Function/notes .............................3 94
General notes ................................ 394
Important safety notes .................. 395
Radio type approval for the tire
pressure monitor ........................... 397
Restarting ...................................... 397
Warning lamp ................................. 328
Warning message .......................... 396
TIREFIT kit .......................................... 371
Important safety notes .................. 371
Storage location ............................ 369
Tire pressure not reached .............. 373
Tire pressure reached .................... 373
Tires
Aspect ratio (definition) ................. 407
20Index
Vehicle data ................................... 441
Vehicle battery
see Battery (vehicle)
Vehicle data ....................................... 441
Vehicle data (off-road driving)
Approach/departure angle ............ 443
Fording depth ................................ 442
Maximum gradient climbing abil-
ity .................................................. 444
Vehicle dimensions ........................... 441
Vehicle emergency locking ................ 86
Vehicle identification number
see VIN
Vehicle identification plate .............. 432
Vehicle level
AIRMATIC ...................................... 207
Vehicle level (display message) ....... 302
Vehicle tool kit .................................. 369
Video
Operating the DVD .........................2 70
VIN ...................................................... 432
Seat ............................................... 433
Type plate ...................................... 432
W
Warning Stickers ...........................................4 2
Warning and indicator lamps
ABS ................................................ 319
Brakes ...........................................3 17
Check Engine ................................. 325
Coolant .......................................... 325
Distance warning ........................... 327
DISTRONIC PLUS ........................... 327
ESP
®.............................................. 321
ESP®OFF ....................................... 322
Fuel tank ........................................ 325
Hybrid drive system ....................... 318
Overview .......................................... 35
Parking brake ................................ 324
PASSENGER AIR BAG ......................4 5
RBS (Recuperative Brake Sys -
tem) .............................................. .318
Reserve fuel ................................... 325
Restraint system ............................ 324
Seat belt ........................................ 316
Tire pressure monitor .................... 328 Warranty
.............................................. 26
Washer fluid
Display message ............................ 314
Wheel and tire combinations
Tires ............................................... 414
Wheel bolt tightening torque ........... 412
Wheel chock ...................................... 409
Wheels
Changing a wheel .......................... 408
Checking ........................................ 388
Cleaning ......................................... 364
Emergency spare wheel ................. 426
General notes ................................ 413
Important safety notes .................. 387
Information on driving .................... 387
Interchanging/changing ................ 408
Mounting a new wheel ................... 411
Mounting a wheel .......................... 409
Overview ........................................ 387
Removing a wheel .......................... 411
Storing ...........................................4 09
Tightening torque ........................... 412
Wheel size/tire si
ze ....................... 413
Window curtain air bag
Display message ............................ 289
Operation ......................................... 51
Windows
see Side windows
Windshield
Defrosting ...................................... 136
Windshield washer fluid
see Windshield washer system
Windshield washer system
Adding washer fluid ....................... 359
Important safety notes .................. 439
Windshield wipers
Problem (malfunction) ................... 125
Rear window wiper ........................ 122
Replacing the wiper blades ............ 122
Switching on/off ........................... 121
Winter driving
Slippery road surfaces ................... 186
Snow chains .................................. 390
Winter operation
General notes ................................ 389
Overview ........................................ 389
Radiator cover ............................... 357
Index23
Sports Utility Vehicle
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.
Utility vehicles have a significantly higher roll-
over rate than other types of vehicles.
Failure to operate this vehicle safely may result
in an accident, rollover of the vehicle, and severe
or fatal injury.
In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is signif-
icantly more likely to die than a person wearing
a seat belt.
You and all vehicle occupants should always
wear your seat belts.
Operating safety
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you do not have the prescribed service/
maintenance work or any required repairs
carried out, this can result in malfunctions or system failures. There is a risk of an accident.
Always have the prescribed service/mainte-
nance work as well as any required repairs
carried out at a qualified specialist workshop.
GWARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with
hot parts of the exhaust system. There is a risk of fire.
When driving off road or on unpaved roads,
check the vehicle's underside regularly. In
particular, remove parts of plants or other
flammable materials which have become
trapped. In the case of damage, contact a
qualified specialist workshop.
GWARNING
Modifications to electronic components, their software as well as wiring can impair their
function and/or the function of other net-
worked components. In particular, systems
relevant to safety could also be affected. As a
result, these may no longer function as inten-
ded and/or jeopardize the operating safety of
the vehicle. There is an increased risk of an
accident and injury.
Never tamper with the wiring as well as elec-
tronic components or their software. You
should have all work to electrical and elec-
tronic equipment carried out at a qualified
specialist workshop.
!There is a 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 in the road
Ra heavy object strikes the undercarriage or
parts of the chassis
In situations like this, the body, the undercar-
riage, chassis parts, wheels or tires could be
damaged without the damage being visible.
Components damaged in this way can unex-
pectedly fail or, in the case of an accident, no
longer withstand the strain they are designed to.
If the underbody paneling is damaged, com-
bustible materials such as leaves, grass or
twigs can gather between the underbody and
the underbody paneling. If these materials
come in contact with hot parts of the exhaust
system, they can catch fire.
In such situations, have the vehicle checked
and repaired immediately at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. If on continuing your jour-
ney you notice that driving safety is impaired,
pull over and stop the vehicle immediately,
paying attention to road and traffic condi-
tions. In such cases, consult a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
28Introduction
The position of the fuel filler cap is displayed
8in the instrument cluster. The arrow next
to the filling pump indicates the side of the vehi-
cle.
Preparing to refuel
XSwitch off the engine.
XRemove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
or, on vehicles with KEYLESS‑GO:
XOpen the driver's door.
The on-board electronics now have status 0.
This is the same as the SmartKey having been
removed.
The driver’s door can be closed again.
Opening the fuel filler flap (except
PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles)
:To open the fuel filler flap
;To insert the fuel filler cap
=Instruction label for fuel type to be refueled
?Tire pressure table
XPress the fuel filler flap in the direction of
arrow :.
The fuel filler flap swings up.
XTurn the fuel filler cap counterclockwise and
remove it.
XInsert the fuel filler cap into the holder on the
inside of the fuel filler flap.
XCompletely insert the filler neck of the fuel
pump nozzle into the tank, hook in place and
refuel.
XOnly fill the tank until the pump nozzle
switches off.
Do not add any more fuel after the pump stops
filling for the first time. Otherwise, fuel may
leak out. Vehicles with a diesel engine:
the filler neck is
designed for refueling at diesel filling pumps.
Opening the fuel filler flap (PLUG-IN
HYBRID vehicles)
XPull switch ;.
Indicator lamp :flashes and the Please
Wait Depressurizing Tankmessage
appears in the multifunction display.
If the fuel filler cap is unlocked, indicator
lamp :lights up.
The Tank is Depressurized Ready for
Refuelingmessage appears in the multi-
function display.
Please be sure to observe the information on
refueling on the fuel filler flap.
There is a malfunction if:
Rindicator lamp :first flashes and then goes
out
Rthe yellow engine diagnostics warning lamp
lights up
iFrom a speed of 1 mph (2 km/h), the fuel
filler flap can no longer be opened.
iThe unlocking process for the fuel filler cap
may take up to 15 minutes.
164Refueling
Driving and parking
:To open the fuel filler flap
;To insert the fuel filler cap
=Instruction label for fuel type to be refueled
?Tire pressure table
XPress the fuel filler flap in the direction of
arrow:.
The fuel filler flap swings up.
XTurn the fuel filler cap counterclockwise and
remove it.
XInsert the fuel filler cap into the holder on the
inside of the fuel filler flap.
XCompletely insert the filler neck of the fuel
pump nozzle into the tank, hook in place and
refuel.
XOnly fill the tank until the pump nozzle
switches off.
Do not add any more fuel after the pump stops filling for the first time. Otherwise, fuel may
leak out.
Closing the fuel filler flap
XReplace the cap on the filler neck and turn
clockwise until it engages audibly.
XClose the fuel filler flap.
Close the fuel filler flap before locking the vehi-
cle.
If you drive at speeds above 1 mph (2 km/h)
with the fuel filler flap open, the Fuel Filler
Flap Openmessage is shown in the multifunc-
tion display.
If you are driving with the fuel filler cap open, the
8 reserve fuel warning lamp flashes. A mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display
(
Ypage 297).
In addition, the ;Check Engine warning
lamp may light up (
Ypage 325).
iFor further information on warning and indi-
cator lamps in the instrument cluster, see
(
Ypage 325).
Refueling165
Driving and parking
Z
The applicable permissible values, which must
not be exceeded, can be found:
Rin the vehicle documents
Ron the identification plates for the trailer tow
hitch and the trailer
Ron the vehicle identification plate
If the values differ, the lowest value applies.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
with when driving without a trailer.
The vehicle/trailer combination:
Ris heavier
Ris restricted in its acceleration and gradient-
climbing capability
Rhas an increased braking distance
Ris affected more by strong crosswinds
Rdemands more sensitive steering
Rhas a larger turning circle
This could impair the handling characteristics.
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
The GLE 550 e 4MATIC cannot be used to tow a
trailer.
RDo not exceed the legally prescribed maxi-
mum speed for vehicle/trailer combinations
in the relevant country.
This lowers the risk of an accident.
ROnly install an approved trailer coupling on
your vehicle.
Further information on availability and on
installation is available from any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
RThe bumpers of your vehicle are not suitable
for installing detachable trailer couplings.
RDo not install hired trailer couplings or other
detachable trailer couplings on the bumpers
of your vehicle.
RIf you no longer need the ball coupling,
remove it from the ball coupling recess. This
will reduce the risk of damage to the ball cou-
pling. When towing a trailer, set the tire pressure on
the rear axle of the towing vehicle for the max-
imum load. You will find the values in the tire
pressure table in the fuel filler flap of the vehicle
(
Ypage 406).
Please note that when towing a trailer, the fol-
lowing driving systems have limited availability
or are not available at all:
RPARKTRONIC (Ypage 210)
RBlind Spot Assist (Ypage 227)
RActive Lane Keeping Assist (Ypage 233)
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 installing dimensions and loads
under "Technical data" (
Ypage 444).
Driving tips
Observe the information on ESP®trailer stabili-
zation (Ypage 73) and on pulling away with a
trailer (Ypage 149).
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
permissible speed is. Observe the legally pre-
scribed 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 "Technical data" to
find out whether this applies to your vehicle
(
Ypage 445). If you utilize any of the added
maximum rear axle load when towing a trailer,
the vehicle/trailer combination may not exceed
a maximum speed of 60 mph (100 km/ h)for
reasons concerning the operating permit. This
also applies in countries in which the permissi-
ble maximum speed for vehicle/trailer combi-
nations is above 60 mph (100 km/h).
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
with when driving without a trailer.
Use the left-hand steering wheel paddle shifter
to shift into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients.
This also applies if you have activated cruise
control or DISTRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine, so that less braking will be required to maintain the
speed. This relieves the load on the brake sys-
Towing a trailer257
Driving and parking
Z
RIf possible, do not brake suddenly, but insteaddepress the brake pedal moderately at first so
that the trailer can activate its brakes. Then
increase the pressure on the brake pedal.
RIf the automatic transmission repeatedly
shifts between gears on uphill or downhill gra-
dients, shift to a lower gear using the left-hand
steering wheel paddle shifter.
A lower gear and lower speed reduce the risk
of engine failure.
RWhen driving downhill, shift to a lower gear toutilize the engine's braking effect.
Avoid continuous brake application as this
may overheat the vehicle brakes and, if instal-
led, the trailer brakes.
RIf the coolant temperature increases dramat-
ically while the air-conditioning system is
switched on, switch off the air-conditioning
system.
Coolant heat can also be dissipated by open-
ing the windows and switching the ventilation blower and the interior temperature to the
highest level.
RWhen overtaking, pay particular attention to
the extended length of your vehicle/trailer
combination.
Due to the length of the vehicle/trailer com-
bination, you require additional road space in
relation to the vehicle you are overtaking
before you can change back to the original
lane.
Decoupling a trailer
GWARNING
If you uncouple a trailer with the overrun
brake engaged, you could trap your hand
between the vehicle and the trailer drawbar.
There is a risk of injury.
Do not uncouple a trailer if the overrun brake
is engaged.
GWARNING
Vehicles with level control:
The vehicle is lowered as soon as you discon-
nect the trailer cable. This could result in your
limbs or those of other people that are
between the vehicle body and tires or under-
neath the vehicle being trapped. There is a
risk of injury.
Make sure that nobody is in the immediate
vicinity of the wheel housings or under the
vehicle when you disconnect 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.
XShift the transmission to position P.
XApply the vehicle's electric parking brake.
XStart the engine.
XClose the doors and tailgate.
XApply the trailer's parking brake.
XDetach the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer.
XSwitch off the engine.
Permissible trailer loads and drawbar
loads
Weight specifications
Maximum allowable gross mass
The gross vehicle weight of the trailer is calcu-
lated by adding the weight of the trailer to the
weight of the load and equipment on the trailer. You will find installing dimensions and loads
under "Technical data" (
Ypage 444).
Permissible noseweight
You will find installing dimensions and loads
under "Technical data" (Ypage 444).
Loading a trailer
RWhen loading the trailer, make sure that nei-
ther the permissible gross weight of the trailer
nor the gross vehicle weight are exceeded.
The permissible gross vehicle weight is indi-
cated on the identification plate located on
the B-pillar on the driver's side of the vehicle.
You can find the maximum permissible values
on the type plates of your vehicle and the
trailer. When calculating how much weight
Towing a trailer261
Driving and parking
Z
Tires
Warning/
indicator
lampNSignal type
Possible causes/consequences and M
Solutions
hNThe yellow tire pressure monitor warning lamp (pressure loss/malfunction) is lit.
The tire pressure monitor has detected a loss of pressure in at least one of the tires.
GWARNING
Tire pressures that are too low pose the following hazards:
Rthey may burst, especially as the load and vehicle speed increase.
Rthey may wear excessively and/or unevenly, which may greatly impair tire trac-
tion.
Rthe driving characteristics, as well as steering and braking, may be greatly
impaired.
There is a risk of an accident.
XStop the vehicle without making any sudden steering or braking maneuvers. Pay
attention to the traffic conditions as you do so.
XSecure the vehicle against rolling away (Ypage 178).
XObserve the additional display messages in the multifunction display.
XCheck the tires and, if necessary, follow the instructions for a flat tire
(Ypage 370).
XCheck the tire pressure (Ypage 394).
XIf necessary, correct the tire pressure.
hN The yellow tire pressure monitor warning lamp (pressure loss/malfunction)
flashes for approximately one minute and then remains lit.
The tire pressure monitor is faulty.
GWARNING
The system is possibly unable to recognize or register low tire pressure.
There is a risk of an accident.
XObserve the additional display messages in the multifunction display.
XVisit a qualified specialist workshop immediately.
328Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
On-board computer and displays