2016 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE brakes

G WARNING
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.
G WARNING
If the vehicle level is high, the vehicle center of
gravity is raised. This could cause the vehicle
to tip over more easily on uphill or downhill
gradients. There is a risk of an accident.
Select the lowest possible vehicle level.
! There is a risk of damage to the vehicle if: R
the vehicle becomes stuck, e.g. on a high
curb or an unpaved road R
you drive too fast over an obstacle, e.g. a
curb or a hole in the road R
a 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.
When driving off-road, substances such as sand,
mud and water or water mixed with oil may get into the brakes. This could result in a reduced
braking effect or in total brake failure and also in
increased wear and tear. The braking charac-
teristics change depending on the material
ingressing the brakes. Clean the brakes after
driving off-road. If you detect a reduced bra ki ng
effect or grinding noises, have the brake system
checked in a qualified specialist workshop as
soon as possible. Adapt your driving style to the
different braking characteristics.
Driving off-road increases the likelihood of dam-
age to the vehicle, which, in turn, can lead to
failure of the mechanical assembly or systems.
Adapt your driving style to suit the terrain con-
ditions. Drive carefully. Have damage to the
vehicle rectified immediately at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Do not switch to transmission position N when
driving off-road. If you try to brake the vehicle
using the service brake, you could lose control
of the vehicle. If the gradient is too steep for your
vehicle, drive back down in reverse gear.
General notes Read this section carefully before driving your
vehicle off-road. Practice by driving over more
gentle off-road terrain first.
Familiarize yourself with the characteristics of
your vehicle and the gear shift operation before
driving through difficult terrain.
The following driving systems are specially
adapted to off-road driving: R
the Offroad drive program (vehicles without
Off-Road Engineering package)
( Y
page 237) R
Offroad and Offroad Plus drive programs
(vehicles with Off-Road Engineering pack-
age) . ( Y
page 237) R
LOW RANGE off-road gear (vehicles with the
Offroad Engineering package) ( Y
page 239)R
Differential lock (vehicles with the Off-Road
Engineering package) ( Y
page 238)R
Off-road ABS ( Y
page 67) R
Off-road 4ETS ( Y
page 72) R
Off-road ESP ®
( Y
page 73) R
AIRMATIC package (vehicle level)
( Y
page 205) R
DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
( Y
page 236)Driving tips 187
Driving and parking Z

X
Clean the wheels, wheel housings and the
veh icle undersi de wit h a water je t; check for
any foreign objects and damage. X
Check whether twigs or other parts of plan ts
have become tr apped. These increase the risk
of fire and can damage fuel pipes , brake
hoses or the rubber bellows of the axle jo ints
and pro peller shafts.X
After the tr ip, examine wit hout fail the entire
undercarriage, wheels, tires, brakes, body-
work structure, steering, chassis and exhaust
system for damage. X
After driv ing for extended per iods across
san d, mud, gravel, water or in sim ilarly dirt y
conditions, have the brake disc s, wheels,
brake pads/ lin ings and axle jo ints checked
and cleane d.X
If you detect strong vibr ations after off-road
travel, check for foreign objects in the wheels
and driv e train and remove them if necessary.
Foreign objects can dist urb the balance and
cause vibr ations.
Driving on sand Observe the foll owin g rules when driv ing on
san d: R
Select the Off roa d driv e program (veh icle s
wit h Off-Road Engineering package)
( Y
page 237). R
Select the Off roa d driv e program (veh icle s
wit hout Off-Road Engineering package)
( Y
page 237). R
Select a higher veh icle leve l.R
Avoid high engine speeds. R
Use the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter to shift to a lower gear appr opriate to
the terrain. R
Drive quic kly to overcome the rolling resist-
ance. Other wise the veh icle 's wheels could
become stuck in loose ground.R
Drive in the tracks of other veh icle s if poss i-
ble. Make sure that: -
the tire ruts are not too deep. -
the sand is suff icie nt ly firm.-
the ground clearance of the veh icle is suf-
ficient. 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 foll owin g rules when driving along
ruts in off-road terrain or on roads wit h loose
gravel: R
Select the Off roa d drive program (vehicles
wit h Off-Road Engineering package)
( Y
page 237). R
Select the Off roa d drive program (vehicles
wit hout Off-Road Engineering package)
( Y
page 237). R
Select a higher vehicle leve l.R
Avoid high engine speeds. R
Sh ift to a lower gear using the left-hand steer-
ing wheel paddle shifter. R
Drive slowly. R
Where ruts are too deep, drive wit h 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 vehicle 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 under-
body and the components of the chassis. Driving tips 189
Driving and parking Z

Observe the following rules when driving over
tree stumps, large stones and other obstacles: R
Select the Offroad drive program (vehicles
with Off-Road Engineering package)
( Y
page 237).R
Select the Offroad drive program (vehicles
without Off-Road Engineering package)
( Y
page 237).R
Select LOW RANGE offroad gear (vehicles
with Off-Road Engineering package)
( Y
page 239)R
Raise the vehicle level. R
Avoid high engine speeds. R
Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand steer-
ing wheel paddle shifter. R
Drive very slowly. R
Drive straight over the center of obstacles.
Traveling uphill
Approach/departure angle
G WARNING
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. R
Observe the rules on off-road driving. R
Do not drive at an angle on slopes, inclines or
gradients, but instead follow the direct line of
fall. R
When driving down an incline, make use of the
engine's braking effect. Observe the engine
speed; do not overrev the engine. R
Select the Offroad drive program (vehicles
with Off-Road Engineering package)
( Y
page 237).R
Select the Offroad drive program (vehicles
without Off-Road Engineering package)
( Y
page 237).R
Before driving on extreme uphill and downhill
gradients, select the LOW RANGE off-road
gear (vehicles with Off-Road Engineering
package) ( Y
page 239).R
Drive slowly. R
Avoid high engine speeds. Drive at appropri-
ate engine speeds (maximum 3,000 rpm). R
Use the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter to shift into a lower gear in good time
on long and steep downhill gradients. R
Check the brakes after prolonged off-road
driving.
Hill start assist will aid you when pulling away on
a hill. For further information about hill start
assist, see ( Y
page 149).
Do not switch to transmission position N when
driving off-road. If you try to brake the vehicle
using the service brake, you could lose control
of the vehicle. If the gradient is too steep for your
vehicle, drive back down in reverse gear.
Always observe the approach/departure angle
values ( Y
page 443).
Maximum gradient-climbing capability Always observe the maximum gradient climbing
ability values ( Y
page 444).
Hilltops When driving up an uphill gradient, slightly
reduce pressure on the accelerator immediately
before reaching the brow of the hill. Make use of
the vehicle's own impetus to travel over the
brow.
This style of driving prevents: R
the vehicle from lifting off the ground on the
brow of a hill R
the vehicle from traveling too quickly down
the other side
Driving downhill R
Drive slowly. R
Do not drive at an angle down steep inclines.
Steer into the line of fall and drive with the
front wheels aligned straight. Otherwise, the
vehicle could slip sideways, tip and rollover. R
Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand pad-
dle shifter before tackling steep downhill gra-
dients. R
Activate DSR. If this is not sufficient, brake
gently. When doing so, make sure that the
vehicle is facing in the direction of the line of
fall. R
Check that the brakes are working normally
after a long downhill stretch.190
Driving tips
Driving and parking

i The special off-road ABS setting enables a
precise, brief and repeated locking of the
front wheels. This causes them to dig into
loose earth. Be aware that the front wheels
easily skid across the ground surface if com-
pletely braked and therefore lose their ability
to steer.
Driving systems
Intelligent Drive Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive stands for inno-
vative driver assistance and safety systems
which enhance comfort and support the driver in
critical situations. With these intelligent co-ordi-
nated systems Mercedes-Benz has set a mile-
stone on the path towards autonomous driving.
Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive embraces all
elements of active and passive safety in one well
thought out system – for the safety of the vehi-
cle occupants and that of other road users.
Further information on driving safety systems
( Y
page 66).
Cruise control
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road speed
for you. It brakes automatically in order to avoid
exceeding the set speed. You must select a
lower gear in good time on long and steep down-
hill 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.
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).
i Cruise control should not be activated when
driving off-road.
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise con-
trol can neither reduce the risk of an accident
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 distance to the
vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in
good time and for staying in your lane.
Do not use cruise control: R
in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads R
on slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid R
when 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
C
Activates or increases speed D
Activates or reduces speed

trol Off message in the multifunction display
for approximately five seconds.
i When you switch off the engine, the last
speed stored is cleared.
DISTRONIC PLUS
General notes DISTRONIC PLUS regulates the speed and auto-
matically helps you maintain the distance to the
vehicle detected in front. Vehicles 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 sys-
tem 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 prevent a
collision without your intervention. An intermit-
tent warning tone will then sound and the dis-
tance warning lamp will light up in the instru-
ment 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.
DISTRONIC PLUS operates in range between
0 mph (0 km/h) and 120 mph (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 respon-
sible authorities. You can refer to the relevant
chapter in the Operator's Manual if questions
are asked about this.
i USA 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 tam-
per 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.
i Canada 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
G WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS does not react to: R
people or animals R
stationary obstacles on the road, e.g. stop-
ped or parked vehicles R
oncoming 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.
G WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot always clearly iden-
tify other road users and complex traffic sit-
uations.
In such cases, DISTRONIC PLUS may: R
give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle R
neither give a warning nor intervene R
accelerate 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.Driving systems 193
Driving and parking Z

G WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes your vehicle with up
to 50% of the maximum possible deceleration.
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 automatically in
certain situations.
To prevent damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or other similar situations: R
when towing the vehicle R
in 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.
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS: R
in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads R
on slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid R
when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow vehi-
cles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or vehi-
cles driving on a different line.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can be
impaired if: R
there is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors R
there is snow or heavy rain R
there is interference by other radar sources R
there are strong radar reflections, for exam-
ple, in parking garages
If DISTRONIC PLUS no longer detects a vehicle
in front, DISTRONIC PLUS may unexpe ctedly
a ccele rate the vehicle to the stored speed. This speed may: R
be too high if you are driving in a filter lane or
an exit lane R
be so high when driving in the right-hand lane
that you overtake vehicles in the left-hand
lane R
be 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
C
Activates or increases speed D
Activates or reduces speed

i When you change lanes, DISTRONIC PLUS
monitors the left lane on left-hand-drive vehi-
cles or the right lane on right-hand-drive vehi-
cles.
Stopping
G WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, even if it is braked
only by DISTRONIC PLUS, it could roll away if: R
there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply. R
DISTRONIC PLUS has been deactivated
with the cruise control lever, e.g. by a vehi-
cle occupant or from outside the vehicle. R
the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with. R
the battery is disconnected. R
the accelerator pedal has been depressed,
e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
There is a risk of an accident.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
DISTRONIC PLUS and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle in
front is stopping, it brakes your vehicle until it is
stationary.
Once your vehicle is stationary, it remains sta-
tionary and you do not need to depress the
brake.
After a time, the electric parking brake secures
the vehicle and relieves the service brake.
Depending on the specified minimum distance,
your vehicle will come to a standstill at a suffi-
cient distance behind the vehicle in front. The
specified minimum distance is set using the
control on the cruise control lever.
When the vehicle is stationary and DISTRONIC
PLUS is activated, position P is automatically
selected if: R
the driver's door is open and the driver's seat
belt is unfastened. R
the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function. The electric parking brake secures the vehicle
automatically if DISTRONIC PLUS is activated
when the vehicle is stationary and: R
a system malfunction occurs. R
the power supply is not sufficient.
On steep uphill or downhill inclines or if there is
a malfunction, the transmission may also be
automatically shifted into position P .
Setting a speed Keep in mind that it may take a brief moment
until the vehicle has accelerated or braked to
the speed set. X
Press the cruise control lever up C for a
higher speed or down

shown in red in the multifunction display: Low‐
ering Max. speed 12 mph (20 km/h) .
i You cannot clear these messages.
You also hear a warning. The vehicle is lowered
and offroad level 3 is canceled.
If you continue to increase your speed, the red
message continues to be shown in the multi-
function display. The newly set level is not dis-
played until the vehicle has been set to a level
suitable for the current speed.
Lowering the vehicle If you drive faster than 12 mph (20 km/h) while
the vehicle level is being lowered, you will see
the following message shown in white in the
multifunction display: Lowering Max. speed
20 km/h .
The vehicle is lowered to offroad level 2.
You will see a message in the multifunction dis-
play, for example: Lowering .
Offroad level 2 is canceled and the vehicle is
lowered to offroad level 1 if you: R
drive at speeds above 50 mph (80 km/h) or R
drive at speeds between 40 mph (64 km/h)
and 50 mph (80 km/h) for longer than
20 seconds
Offroad level 1 is canceled. Depending on the
vehicle's speed and the selected drive program,
the vehicle is automatically lowered to normal
level or low level if you: R
drive at speeds above 70 mph (112 km/h) or R
drive at speeds between 65 mph (105 km/h)
and 70 mph (112 km/h) for longer than
20 seconds
HOLD function
General notes The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations: R
when pulling away, especially on steep slopes R
when maneuvering on steep slopes R
when waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the driver
having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is canceled and the HOLD
function deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away. i Do not use the HOLD function when driving
off-road, on steep uphill or downhill gradients
or on slippery or loose surfaces. The HOLD
function cannot hold the vehicle on such sur-
faces.
Important safety notes
G WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, it can still roll away
despite being braked by the HOLD function if: R
there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply. R
the HOLD function has been deactivated by
pressing the accelerator pedal or the brake
pedal, e.g. by a vehicle occupant. R
the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with. R
the battery is disconnected
There is a risk of an accident.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
! If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function is
activated, the vehicle brakes automatically in
certain situations.
To prevent damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or other similar situations: R
when towing the vehicle R
in the car wash
Deactivating the HOLD function ( Y
page 205).
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if: R
the vehicle is stationary R
the engine is running or if it has been auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function R
the driver's door is closed or your seat belt is
fastened R
the electric parking brake is released R
the transmission is in position D , R or NR
DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated204
Driving systems
Driving and parking