2016 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE steering wheel

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

ings (left and right), and only on the vehicle in
front if lane markings are missing.
Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot do not pro-
vide any support if these conditions do not exist.
DISTRONIC PLUS must be active in order for the
function to be available.
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, DISTRONIC
PLUS with Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot
can neither reduce the risk of an accident nor
override the laws of physics. It cannot take
account of road, weather and traffic conditions.
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot is only an aid. You are responsible
for the distance to the vehicle in front, for vehi-
cle speed, for braking in good time and for stay-
ing in your lane.
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot does not detect road and traffic
conditions. If you are following a vehicle which is
driving towards the edge of the road, your vehi-
cle could come into contact with the curb or
other road boundaries. Be particularly aware of
other road users, e.g. cyclists, that are directly
next to your vehicle.
Obstacles such as traffic pylons on the lane or
projecting out into the lane are not detected.
An inappropriate steering intervention, e.g. after
intentionally driving over a lane marking, can be
corrected at any time if you steer slightly in the
opposite direction.
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot cannot continuously keep your
vehicle in lane. In some cases, the steering
intervention is not sufficient to bring the vehicle
back to the lane. In such cases, you must steer
the vehicle yourself to ensure that it does not
leave the lane.
The support provided by the system can be
impaired if: R
there is poor visibility, e.g. due to insufficient
illumination of the road, or due to snow, rain,
fog or spray R
there is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic, the
sun or reflections (e.g. when the road surface
is wet) R
the windshield is dirty, fogged up, damaged or
covered, for instance by a sticker, in the vicin-
ity of the camera R
there are no, several or unclear lane markings
for a lane, e.g. in areas with road construction
work R
the lane markings are worn away, dark or cov-
ered up, e.g. by dirt or snow R
the distance to the vehicle in front is too small
and the lane markings thus cannot be detec-
ted R
the lane markings change quickly, e.g. lanes
branch off, cross one another or merge R
the road is narrow and winding R
there are strong shadows cast on the road
The system is switched to passive and no longer
assists you by performing steering interventions
if: R
you actively change lane R
you switch on the turn signal R
take your hands off the steering wheel or do
not steer for a prolonged period of time
i Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are acti-
vated again automatically after a lane change
is completed.
Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot do not pro-
vide any support: R
on very sharp corners R
when a loss of tire pressure or a defective tire
has been detected and displayed
Pay attention also to the important safety notes
for DISTRONIC PLUS ( Y
page 193).
The steering interventions are carried out wit h a
limited steering moment. The system requires
the driver to keep his hands on the steering
wheel and to steer himself.
If you do not steer yourself or if you take your
hands off the steering wheel for a prolonged
period of time, the system will first alert you with
a visual warning. A steering wheel symbol
appears in the multifunction display. If you have
still not started to steer and have not taken hold
of the steering wheel after five seconds at the
latest, a warning tone also sounds to remind you
to take control of the vehicle. Steering Assist
and Stop&Go Pilot are switched to passive.
DISTRONIC PLUS remains active.
Activating Steering Assist and Stop&Go
Pilot X
Activate the DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering
Assist and Stop&Go Pilot function using the
on-board computer ( Y
page 272).
The DTR+: Steering Assistant On mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are active.200
Driving systems
Driving and parking

Information in the multifunction display
If St eering Assist and St op&Go Pilot are activa-
ted but not ready for a steering intervention,
steering wheel symbol C appears in gray. If the
system pro vide s you wit h support by means of
steering interventions, symbol C is sho wn in
green.
Deactivating Steering Assist and Stop&Go
Pilot X
Deactivate the DI ST RONIC PLUS wit h St eer-
ing Assist and St op&Go Pilot function using
the on-board computer ( Y
page 272).
The DTR+: Steering Assistant Off mes-
sage appears in the multifunction disp lay.
St eering Assist and St op&Go Pilot are deac-
tivate d.
When DI ST RONIC PLUS is deactivated or not
available, St eering Assist and St op&Go Pilot are
deactivated automatically.
Level control (vehicles with the Off-
road Engineering package)
Important safety notes Level control adapts the veh icle level automat i-
cally to the current operating and driv ing situa-
tion. This results in reduced fuel consumption
and impr oved han dlin g.
Make changes to the veh icle level while the
veh icle is in motion. This enables the veh icle to
adjust to the new level as quic kly as poss ible.
The veh icle level may change vis ibly if you park
the veh icle and the out side temperature
changes. If the temperature drops, the veh icle
level is lower; wit h an increase in temperature,
the veh icle leve l rises.
If you unlock the veh icle or open a door, the
veh icle begins to compensate for load disc rep-
ancies while st ill parked. However, for sign ifi-
cant level changes, such as after the veh icle has
been stationary for a long per iod, the engine
must be on. For safety reasons, the veh icle is on ly lowered when the doors are closed. Low-
ering is interrupted if a door is opened, and it
continues once the door has been closed.
Further information about "Driving off-road"
( Y
page 186).
G WARNING
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.
G WARNING
When you drive wit h 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 ben d. There is a risk of an accident.
Always select as low a vehicle level as possi-
ble and adjust your driving style.
G WARNING
When you drive wit h 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.
G WARNING
Due to the high center of gravity, the vehicle
may start to sk id 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
pre vailin g 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.Driving systems 201
Driving and parking Z

Selecting Sport Plus tuning (Mercedes-
AMG vehicles)
The very firm setting of the suspension setting in
the Sport 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 Plus drive pro-
gram. For further information on DSR, see
( Y
page 236). X
Select the Sport Plus drive program using
DYNAMIC SELECT controller C .
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 ( Y
page 206), the ACTIVE CURVE SYS-
TEM also changes the setting.
If you have selected the Comfort drive program:R
rolling movement is reduced in the event of
changing surface undulations R
the roll angle when cornering is reduced R
the driving is dynamic
If you have selected the Sport drive program:R
the roll angle is reduced significantly R
the driving is even more dynamic
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: if you have selected
the Sport Plus drive program:R
the roll angle is reduced even more signifi-
cantly R
the driving is designed for maximum dyna-
mism Vehicle level Important safety notes
G WARNING
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.
G WARNING
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.
G WARNING
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.
G WARNING
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. R
Utility vehicles have a significantly higher roll-
over rate than other types of vehicles.Driving systems 207
Driving and parking Z

Failure to operate this vehicle safely may
result in an accident, rollover of the vehicle,
and severe or fatal injury. R
In 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 r
faces 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 X
Start the engine.
If indicator lamp D is not lit:X
Press button C .
Indicator lamp D 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 8 or v button on the
multifunction steering wheel, the message will
disappear.
The raised level setting is canceled if you: R
drive at speeds above 50 mph (80 km/h) (all
vehicles except Mercedes-AMG vehicles) R
drive at speeds above 43 mph (70 km/h)
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles) R
drive between 40 mph (64 km/h) and 50 mph
(80 km/h) for approximately 20 seconds (all
vehicles except Mercedes-AMG vehicles). R
drive at speeds between 40 mph (64 km/h)
and 43 mph (70 km/h) for approximately
20 seconds (Mercedes-AMG vehicles) R
drive 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.208
Driving systems
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.
X
Start the engine.
If indicator lamp D is lit:X
Press button C .
Indicator lamp D 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 ( Y
page 152).
Vehicles with a trailer coupled: the vehicle
is adjusted to normal level regardless of the
drive program selected ( Y
page 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 8 or v button on the
multifunction steering wheel, the message will
disappear.
AMG adaptive sport suspension sys-
tem
General notes
i AMG 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: R
your driving style, e.g. sporty R
the road surface condition, e.g. bumps R
your 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
( Y
page 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 ( Y
page 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. X
Press button C repeatedly until indicator
lamp

Problems with PARKTRONIC Problem
Possible causes/consequences and P Solutions
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. X
If 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. X
Clean the PARKTRONIC sensors ( Y
page 365).X
Switch the ignition back on.
The problem may be caused by an external source of radio or ultra-
sound waves. X
See 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
( Y
page 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.
G WARNING
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: R
where parking or stopping is prohibited R
in front of driveways or entrances and exits R
on unsuitable surfaces
Parking tips: R
On narrow roads, drive as close to the parking
space as possible. R
Parking spaces that are littered or overgrown
might be identified or measured incorrectly. R
Parking spaces that are partially occupied by
trailer drawbars might not be identified as
such or be measured incorrectly.Driving systems 213
Driving and parking Z

right angles to the direction of travel. You will
need to judge whether your vehicle will fit into
the parking space.
When driving at speeds below 19 mph
(30 km/h), you will see parking symbol D as a
status indicator in the instrument cluster. When
a parking space has been detected, an arrow
towards the right or the left also appears. By
default, Active Parking Assist only displays park-
ing spaces on the front-passenger side. Parking
spaces on the driver's side are displayed as
soon as the turn signal on the driver's side is
activated. When parking on the driver's side,
this must remain activated until you confirm the
use of Active Parking Assist by pressing the
v button on the multifunction steering
wheel. The system automatically determines
whether the parking space is parallel or at right
angles to the direction of travel.
A parking space is displayed while you are driv-
ing past it, and until you are approximately 50 ft
(15 m) away from it.
Parking
G WARNING
If you leave the vehicle when it is only being
braked by Active Parking Assist it could roll
away if: R
there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply. 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.
Before leaving the vehicle, always secure it
against rolling away.
i When PARKTRONIC detects obstacles,
Active Parking Assist brakes automatically
during the parking process. You are respon-
sible for braking in good time. X
Stop the vehicle when the parking space sym-
bol shows the desired parking space in the
instrument cluster. X
Shift the transmission to position R .
The Start Park Assist? Yes: OK No:
8 message appears in the multifunction
display. X
To cancel the procedure: press the 8
button on the multifunction steering wheel or
pull away.
or X
To park using Active Parking Assist: press
the v button on the multifunction steering
wheel.
The Park Assist Active Accelerate
and Brake Observe Surroundings mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display. X
Let go of the multifunction steering wheel. X
Back up the vehicle, being ready to brake at all
times. When backing up, drive at a speed
below approximately 6 mph (10 km/h). Oth-
erwise Active Parking Assist will be canceled.
Active Parking Assist brakes the vehicle to a
standstill when the vehicle approaches the
rear border of the parking space.
Maneuvering may be required in tight parking
spaces.
The Park Assist Active Select D
Observe Surroundings message appears in
the multifunction display. X
Shift the transmission to position D while the
vehicle is stationary.
Active Parking Assist immediately steers in
the other direction.
The Park Assist Active Accelerate
and Brake Observe Surroundings mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
i You will achieve the best results by waiting
for the steering procedure to complete before
pulling away. X
Drive forwards and be ready to brake at all
times.
Active Parking Assist brakes the vehicle to a
standstill.
The Park Assist Active Select R
Observe Surroundings message appears in
the multifunction display.
As soon as the parking procedure is complete,
the Park Assist Finished message appears
in the multifunction display and a warning tone
sounds. The vehicle is now parked. The vehicle isDriving systems 215
Driving and parking Z