2016 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS SUV Owners Manual

ignite if in contact with the exhaust system or
parts of the engine that heat up. There is a risk
of fire.
Carry out regular checks to make sure that
there are no flammable foreign materials in
the engine compartment or in the exhaust
system.
General notes Vehicles with a petrol engine:
the catalytic
converter is preheated for up to 30 seconds
after a cold start. The sound of the engine may
change during this time.
Automatic transmission X
Shift the transmission to position P
(Y page 156).
The transmission position indicator in the
multifunction display shows P(Y page 158).
i You can start the engine in transmission
position Pand N.
Starting procedure with the key X
To start a diesel engine : turn the key to
position 2in the ignition lock (Y page 148).
The % preglow indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
X Turn the key to position 3in the ignition lock
(Y page 148) and release it as soon as the
engine is running.
i Vehicles with a diesel engine:
you can
start the engine without preglow if the engine
is warm.
Using KEYLESS-GO to start the engine The Start/Stop button can be used to start the
vehicle without inserting the key into the ignition
lock. The key must be in the vehicle and the
Start/Stop button must be inserted in the igni-
tion lock. This mode for starting the engine oper-
ates independently of the ECO start/stop auto- matic engine start function. X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Press the Start/Stop button once
(Y page 148).
Vehicles with a petrol engine: the engine
starts.
Vehicles with a diesel engine: preglow is
activated and the engine starts. Pulling away
General notes G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor R,
the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do not simultaneously accelerate.
Depress the accelerator carefully when pulling
away.
The vehicle locks centrally once you have pulled
away. The locking knobs in the doors drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at any
time.
You can also deactivate the automatic locking
feature (Y page 253).
It is only possible to shift the transmission from position Pto the desired position if you depress
the brake pedal. Only then is the parking lock
released. If you do not depress the brake pedal,
the DIRECT SELECT lever can still be moved but the parking lock remains engaged.
i Upshifts take place at higher engine speeds
after a cold start. This helps the catalytic con- verter to reach its operating temperature
more quickly.
Information on automatically releasing the elec-
trical parking brake (Y page 171).150
DrivingDriving and parking

Pulling away with a trailer
To ensure that you do not roll backwards when
pulling away on an uphill slope, apply the electric parking brake.
X Press and hold handle :.
The electric parking brake continues to brake
and prevent the vehicle from rolling back-
wards.
The red !indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster remains lit.
X Depress the accelerator pedal.
X As soon as the vehicle/trailer combination is
held by the driving force of the engine, release
lever :.
the electric parking brake is released
The red !indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
Hill start assist Hill start assist helps you when pulling away for-
wards or in reverse on an uphill gradient. It holds the vehicle for a short time after you have
removed your foot from the brake pedal. This
gives you enough time to move your foot from
the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal and
depress it before the vehicle begins to roll. G
WARNING
After a while, hill start assist no longer holds
the vehicle and it may roll away. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Therefore, quickly move your foot from the
brake pedal to the accelerator pedal. Never
leave the vehicle when it is held by hill start
assist. Hill start assist is not active if:
R you are pulling away on a level road or a
downhill gradient
R the transmission is in position N
R the electric parking brake is applied
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning ECO start/stop function
Introduction The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle is stopped
under certain conditions.
When pulling away again, the engine starts auto-
matically. The ECO start/stop function thereby
helps you to reduce the fuel consumption and
emissions of your vehicle.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the engine is switched off automatically and you exit the vehicle, the engine is restarted
automatically. The vehicle may begin moving. There is a risk of accident and injury.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
the ignition and secure the vehicle against
rolling away.
General notes :
ECO start/stop display
The ECO start/stop function is activated when-
ever you start the engine using the key or the
Start/Stop button.
If the è ECO symbol is shown on the multi-
function display, the ECO start/stop function
switches the engine off automatically if the vehi- cle stops moving.
If the ECO start/stop function has been man-
ually deactivated (Y page 153) or a malfunction Driving
151Driving and parking Z

has caused the system to be deactivated, the
è orç ECO symbol is not displayed.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: the ECO start/stop
function is only available in drive programs
Comfort andSlippery.
Automatic engine switch-off If the vehicle is braked to a standstill with the
transmission in Dor N, the ECO start/stop func-
tion switches off the engine automatically.
The ECO start/stop function is operational and
the è ECO symbol is displayed on the mul-
tifunction display, if:
R the indicator lamp in the ECO button is lit
green
R the Sport Plus orSport drive program is not
selected (Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
R none of the off-road programs are selected
R the outside temperature is within the range
that is suitable for the system
R the engine is at normal operating temperature
R the set temperature for the vehicle interior
has been reached
R the battery is sufficiently charged
R the system does not detect moisture on the
windscreen when the air-conditioning system
is switched on
R the bonnet is closed
R the driver's door is closed and the driver's
seat belt is fastened
If all conditions for automatic engine switch-off
are not fulfilled, the çECO symbol is shown.
All the vehicle's systems remain active when the
engine is switched off automatically.
The HOLD function can be activated if the
engine has been switched off automatically. It is then not necessary to continue applying the
brakes during the automatic stop phase. When
you depress the accelerator pedal, the engine
starts automatically and the braking effect of
the HOLD function is deactivated.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): automatic engine switch-off can take
place a maximum of four times in a row (initial
switch-off, then three subsequent switch-offs).
The ç ECO symbol is shown in the multi-
function display after the engine has been star-
ted automatically for the fourth time. When the
è ECO symbol is shown in the multifunction display, automatic engine switch-off is possible
again.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: the number of con-
secutive automatic engine stops is unlimited.
Automatic engine start The engine is started automatically if:
R you deactivate the ECO start/stop function
by pressing the ECO button
R in transmission position Dor N, the brake
pedal is released and the HOLD function is not active
R you depress the accelerator pedal
R you engage reverse gear R
R you move the transmission out of position P
R you switch to the Sport PlusorSport drive
program (Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
R you activate manual gearshifting (Mercedes-
AMG vehicles)
R you switch to the Offroaddrive program
(vehicles without Off-Road Engineering pack- age)
R you switch to the OffroadorOffroad Plus
drive program (vehicles with Off-Road Engi-
neering package)
R you unfasten your seat belt or open the driv-
er's door
R the vehicle starts to roll
R the brake system requires this
R the temperature in the vehicle interior devi-
ates from the set range
R the system detects moisture on the wind-
screen when the air-conditioning system is
switched on
R the battery's charge status is too low
Shifting the transmission to position Pdoes not
start the engine.
If you shift the transmission from Rto D, the
ECO start/stop function is available again as
soon as the èsymbol reappears on the mul-
tifunction display. 152
DrivingDriving and parking

Switching the ECO start/stop function
off/on All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles) X
To switch off: press ECO button :.
Indicator lamp ;and the èorç ECO
symbol in the multifunction display go out.
X To switch on: press ECO button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. If all conditions
for the automatic engine switch-off
(Y page 152) are fulfilled, the èECO sym-
bol is shown in the multifunction display.
If all conditions for the automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 152) are not fulfilled, the
ç ECO symbol is shown in the multifunc-
tion display. If this is the case, the ECO start/
stop function is not available.
If indicator lamp ;is off, the ECO start/stop
function has been deactivated manually or as
the result of a malfunction. The engine will then
not be switched off automatically when the vehi- cle stops.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles X
To switch off: in theComfort drive program,
press ECO button :.
or X Activate manual gearshifting (Y page 160).
or X Switch to the Sport PlusorSport drive pro-
gram (Y page 155).
Indicator lamp ;and the èorç ECO
symbol in the multifunction display go out.
X To switch on: press ECO button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. When the
Sport Plus orSport drive program is activa-
ted, the automatic transmission switches to
the Comfort drive program.
If all conditions for the automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 152) are fulfilled, the è
ECO symbol is shown in the multifunction dis- play.
If all conditions for the automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 152) are not fulfilled, the
ç ECO symbol is shown in the multifunc-
tion display. If this is the case, the ECO start/
stop function is not available.
If indicator lamp ;is off, the ECO start/stop
function has been deactivated manually or as
the result of a malfunction. The engine will then
not be switched off automatically when the vehi- cle stops. Driving
153Driving and parking Z

Problems with the engine
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The engine does not
start. The starter motor
can be heard. R
There is a malfunction in the engine electronics.
R There is a malfunction in the fuel supply.
Before attempting to start the engine again:
X Turn the key back to position 0in the ignition lock.
or X Press the Start/Stop button repeatedly until all indicator lamps in
the instrument cluster go out.
X Try to start the engine again (Y page 149). Avoid excessively long
and frequent attempts to start the engine, as this will drain the
battery.
If the engine does not start after several attempts:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine does not
start. The starter motor
can be heard. The
reserve fuel warning
lamp is lit and the fuel
gauge display shows
0. The fuel tank is empty.
X Refuel the vehicle. The engine does not
start. You cannot hear
the starter motor. The on-board voltage is too low because the battery is too weak or
discharged.
X Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 354).
If the engine does not start despite attempts to jump-start it:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The starter motor was exposed to a thermal load that was too high.
X Allow the starter motor to cool down for approximately two minutes.
X Try to start the engine again.
If the engine still does not start: X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Vehicles with a petrol
engine:
The engine is not running
smoothly and is misfir-
ing. There is a malfunction in the engine electronics or in a mechanical
component of the engine management system.
X Only depress the accelerator pedal slightly.
Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic converter
and damage it.
X Have the cause rectified immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop. 154
DrivingDriving and parking

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The coolant temperature
display is showing more
than 120 †. The coolant warning lamp may also
be on and a warning tone
may sound. The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine is no
longer being cooled sufficiently.
X Stop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant to
cool down.
X Check the coolant level (Y page 335). Observe the warning notes
as you do so and top up the coolant if necessary. If the coolant level is correct, the radiator fan may be faulty. The cool-
ant is too hot and the engine is no longer being cooled sufficiently.
X If the coolant temperature is below 120 †, you can continue driving
to the nearest qualified specialist workshop.
X Avoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving in moun-
tainous terrain and stop-start traffic. DYNAMIC SELECT controller
Use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to change the drive program. Depending on the drive pro-
gram selected, the following vehicle character-
istics will change:
R the drive (engine and transmission manage-
ment)
R the transmission
R the suspension
R the steering
R the availability of the ECO start/stop function
If the ignition is switched off for less than four
hours, the previously selected drive program is
activated when the engine is next started. If the
ignition is switched off for more than four hours,
the Comfort drive program is activated when
the engine is next started. X
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles):
turn DYNAMIC SELECT controller :as many times as necessary until the desired
drive program is selected.
The selected drive program appears in the
multifunction display. After five seconds the
display goes out.
In addition, the current drive program settings
are displayed in the multimedia system dis-
play.
Drive programs available (all vehicles
except Mercedes-AMG vehicles): Individual
Individual settings
Sport
Sporty driving characteris-
tics
Comfort
Comfortable and economi-
cal driving characteristics
Slippery
Optimal driving characteris-
tics on slippery or snow-
covered roads Off-road
Optimal driving characteris-
tics for easily negotiable off-
road terrain Offroad Plus
(vehicles with
Off-Road Engi-
neering pack-
age)
Optimal driving characteris-
tics for rough terrain DYNAMIC SELECT controller
155Driving and parking Z

Further information on:
R the Individual, Sport,Comfort andSlippery
drive programs (Y page 159)
R the Offroad drive program (vehicles without
Off-Road Engineering package)
(Y page 228)
R the Offroad andOffroad Plus drive pro-
grams (vehicles with Off-Road Engineering
package) (Y page 229) X
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: turn DYNAMIC
SELECT controller :as many times as nec-
essary until the desired drive program is
selected.
The selected drive program appears in the
multifunction display. After five seconds the
display goes out.
In addition, the current drive program settings are displayed in the multimedia system dis-
play.
Drive programs available (Mercedes-AMG
vehicles): Individual
Individual settings
Comfort
Comfortable and economi-
cal driving characteristics
Sport
Sporty driving characteris-
tics
Sport Plus
Particularly sporty driving
characteristics
Slippery
Optimal driving characteris-
tics on slippery or snow-
covered roads Additional information on drive programs
(Y page 159). Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake. DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions j
Park position with parking lock
k Reverse gear
i Neutral
h Drive
The DIRECT SELECT lever is on the right of the
steering column.
The DIRECT SELECT lever always returns to its
original position. The current transmission posi-
tion P,R, Nor Dappears in the transmission
position display in the multifunction display
(Y page 158).
Engaging park position P !
If the engine speed is too high, do not shift
the automatic transmission directly from Dto
R, from Rto Dor directly to P. Otherwise, the
automatic transmission could be damaged. 156
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

X
Push the DIRECT SELECT lever in the direction
of arrow P.
Engaging park position P automatically Park position
Pis automatically engaged if:
R you switch off the engine using the key and
remove the key
R you switch off the engine using the key or
using the Start/Stop button and open the
driver's door or front-passenger door
R you open the driver's door when the vehicle is
stationary or when driving at a very low speed
while the transmission is in position Dor R
Under certain conditions, the automatic trans-
mission shifts automatically to transmission
position Pif the HOLD function or Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC is activated. Observe the informa-
tion on the HOLD function (Y page 196) and on
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC (Y page 188).
Engaging reverse gear R !
Only shift the automatic transmission to
R
when the vehicle is stationary.
X If the transmission is in position Dor N: push
the DIRECT SELECT lever up past the first
point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position P: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT lever up past the first point of resistance.
Shifting to neutral N G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle, they can:
R open doors and endanger other persons or
road users
R climb out and be injured by the traffic
R operate vehicle equipment and, for exam-
ple, trap themselves.
Children could also set the vehicle in motion, for example by:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
R starting the engine. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key
with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle. Always
keep the key out of reach of children.
X If the transmission is in position Dor R: push
the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down to the
first point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position P: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down to the first point of resist-
ance.
If you switch the engine off with the transmis-
sion in position Ror D, the automatic transmis-
sion shifts to Nautomatically.
With the key: if you then open the driver's door
or the front-passenger door or remove the key
from the ignition, the automatic transmission
shifts to Pautomatically.
With the Start/Stop button: if you then open
the driver's door or the front-passenger door,
the automatic transmission shifts to Pautomat-
ically.
If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral N, e.g. when having the vehicle
cleaned in an automatic car wash with a towing
system:
With the key:
X Switch the ignition on.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the key in the
ignition lock.
With the Start/Stop button:
X Remove the Start/Stop button from the igni-
tion lock.
X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
X Switch the ignition on.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal. Automatic transmission
157Driving and parking Z