2016 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS SUV ESP

System self-test
G
DANGER
If both the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF and
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamps do
not light up during the system self-test, the
system is malfunctioning. The front-
passenger front airbag might be triggered
unintentionally or might not be triggered at all in the event of an accident with high deceler-
ation. This poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
In this case the front-passenger seat may notbe used. Do not install a child restraint system
on the front-passenger seat. Have the auto-
matic front-passenger front airbag deactiva-
tion system checked and repaired immedi-
ately at a qualified specialist workshop. G
WARNING
If the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp remains lit after the system self-test, the
front-passenger front airbag is disabled. It willnot be deployed in the event of an accident. In
this case, the front-passenger front airbag
cannot perform its intended protective func-
tion, e.g. when a person is seated in the front- passenger seat.
That person could, for example, come into
contact with the vehicle's interior, especially
if the person is sitting too close to the dash-
board. This poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
When the front-passenger seat is occupied,
always ensure that:
R the classification of the person in the front-
passenger seat is correct and the front-
passenger front airbag is enabled or disa-
bled in accordance with the person in the
front-passenger seat.
R the person is seated properly with a cor-
rectly fastened seat belt.
R the front-passenger seat has been moved
as far back as possible. If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp remains lit when it should not, the front-
passenger seat may not be used. Do not
install a child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat. Have the automatic front-
passenger front airbag deactivation system
checked and repaired immediately at a quali-
fied specialist workshop. G
WARNING
Objects between the seat surface and the
child restraint system could affect the func-
tion of the automatic front-passenger front
airbag deactivation system. This could result
in the front-passenger front airbag not func-
tioning as intended during an accident. This
poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Do not place any objects between the seat
surface and the child restraint system. The
entire base of the child restraint system must always rest on the seat cushion of the front-
passenger seat. The backrest of the forwards-
facing child restraint system must, as far as
possible, be resting on the backrest of the
rear reclining seat. Always comply with the
child restraint system manufacturer's instal-
lation instructions.
After the system self-test, the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF or PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator
lamp shows the status of the front-passenger
front airbag (Y page 50). If the front-passenger
front airbag is enabled, the PASSENGER AIR
BAG ON indicator lamp lights up for 60 seconds
and then goes out.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp is
off, only the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp shows the status of the front-passenger
front airbag. The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indi-
cator lamp may be lit continuously or be off.
Further information can be found under "Prob-
lems with the automatic front-passenger front
airbag deactivation system" (Y page 54). Occupant safety
53Safety Z

An electric motor is used by PRE-SAFE
®
to trig-
ger the tightening of the seat belt in hazardous
situations. This procedure is reversible.
If the belt tensioners are triggered or an airbag is
deployed, you will hear a bang, and a small
amount of powder may also be released. The
6 restraint system warning lamp lights up.
Only in rare cases will the bang affect your hear-
ing. In general, the powder released is not haz-
ardous to health but may cause short-term
breathing difficulties to persons suffering from
asthma or other pulmonary conditions. Provided it is safe to do so, you should leave the vehicle
immediately or open the window in order to pre-
vent breathing difficulties.
Operation During the first stage of a collision, the restraint
system control unit evaluates important physi-
cal data relating to vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration, such as:
R duration
R direction
R intensity
Based on the evaluation of this data, the
restraint system control unit triggers the seat
belt tensioners in the event of a head-on or rear
collision.
A seat belt tensioner can be triggered only if:
R the ignition is switched on
R the components of the restraint system are
operational. You can find further information
under: "Restraint system warning lamp"
(Y page 43)
R the belt tongue has engaged in the belt buckle
of the respective front seat
The seat belt tensioners in the rear compart-
ment are triggered independently of the lock
status of the seat belts.
If the restraint system control unit detects a
high-severity accident, in certain head-on colli-
sions, additional components of the restraint
system are deployed independently of each
other:
R front airbags and driver's kneebag
R windowbag, if the system determines that
deployment can offer additional protection to
that provided by the seat belt
On vehicles with the automatic front-passenger
front airbag deactivation system: depending on the person in the front-passenger seat, the front-passenger front airbag is either disabled or
enabled. The front-passenger front airbag can
be deployed in an accident only if the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp is off.
Observe the information on the PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamps (Y page 43).
Your vehicle has two-stage front airbags. In the
first deployment stage, the front airbag is filled
with propellant gas to reduce the risk of injuries. The front airbag is fully deployed if the second
deployment stage is activated within a few mil-
liseconds.
The activation threshold for the seat belt ten-
sioners and airbags is determined based on the
evaluation of the vehicle's rate of deceleration
or acceleration at various points in the vehicle.
This process is pre-emptive in nature. The trig-
gering/deployment process should take place
in good time at the start of the collision.
The rate of vehicle deceleration or acceleration
and the direction of the force are essentially
determined by:
R the distribution of forces during the collision
R the collision angle
R the deformation characteristics of the vehicle
R the characteristics of the object with which
the vehicle has collided
Factors that can be seen and measured only
after a collision has occurred do not play a deci-
sive role in the deployment of an airbag, nor do
they provide an indication of airbag deployment.
The vehicle may be deformed significantly with-out an airbag being deployed. This is the case if
only parts that are relatively easily deformed are
affected and the rate of deceleration is not high. Conversely, an airbag may be deployed even
though the vehicle suffers only minor deforma-
tion. This is the case if, for example, very rigid
vehicle parts such as longitudinal body mem-
bers are hit, and sufficient deceleration occurs
as a result.
If the restraint system control unit detects a side
impact or if the vehicle overturns, the applicable components of the restraint system are activa-
ted independently of each other depending on
the apparent type of accident.
R Sidebags on the side on which an impact
occurs, independently of the seat belt ten-
sioner and seat belt usage
Vehicles with the automatic front-passenger
front airbag deactivation system: the sidebag Occupant safety
55Safety Z

on the front-passenger side deploys under the
following conditions:
- an occupant is detected in the front-
passenger seat or
- the belt tongue is engaged in the belt
buckle of the front-passenger seat
R Windowbag on the side on which an impact
occurs, independently of seat belt usage and
regardless of whether the front-passenger
seat is occupied
R Seat belt tensioners, if the system determines
that deployment can offer additional protec-
tion for the vehicle occupants in this situation
R Windowbags on the driver's and front-
passenger side in certain situations if the
vehicle overturns and if the system deter-
mines that deployment can offer additional
protection to that provided by the seat belt
i Not all airbags are deployed in an accident.
The different airbag systems work independ-
ently of each other.
How the airbag system works is determined
by the severity of the accident detected,
especially the vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration, and the apparent type of accident:
R frontal collision
R side impact
R overturn PRE-SAFE
®
(anticipatory occupant
protection)
Introduction In certain hazardous situations, PRE-SAFE
®
takes pre-emptive measures to protect the vehi- cle occupants.
Important safety notes !
Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell or behind the seats. There is a risk
that the seats and/or the objects could be
damaged when PRE-SAFE ®
is activated.
Although your vehicle is equipped with PRE-
SAFE ®
, the possibility of injury in the event of an
accident cannot be ruled out. Always adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing road and
weather conditions and maintain a safe distance
from the vehicle in front. Drive carefully. Function PRE-SAFE
®
intervenes:
R in emergency braking situations, e.g. when
BAS is activated
R in critical driving situations, e.g. when physi-
cal limits are exceeded and the vehicle under- steers or oversteers severely
R on vehicles with the Driving Assistance pack-
age: if BAS PLUS intervenes powerfully or the
radar sensor system detects an imminent
danger of collision in certain situations
PRE-SAFE ®
takes the following measures
depending on the hazardous situation detected:
R the front seat belts are pre-tensioned.
R if the vehicle skids, the side windows and the
sliding sunroof are closed.
R vehicles with the memory function: the front-
passenger seat is adjusted if it is in an unfav-
ourable position.
R vehicles with a multicontour seat: the air pres-
sure in the side bolsters of the backrest is
increased.
If the hazardous situation passes without result- ing in an accident, PRE-SAFE ®
slackens the belt
pre-tensioning. On vehicles with multicontour
seats, the air pressure in the side bolsters is
reduced again. All settings made by PRE-SAFE ®
can then be reversed.
If the seat belt pre-tensioning is not reduced:
X Move the seat backrest or seat back slightly
when the vehicle is stationary.
Seat belt pre-tensioning is reduced and the
locking mechanism is released.
The seat-belt adjustment is an integral part of
the PRE-SAFE ®
convenience function. Informa-
tion about the convenience function can be
found under "Belt adjustment" (Y page 46). PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS (anticipatory occu-
pant protection PLUS)
Introduction PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS is only available in vehicles
with the Driving Assistance package.
Using the radar sensor system, PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS is able to detect that a head-on or rear-end
collision is imminent. In certain hazardous sit- 56
Occupant safetySafety

G
WARNING
Child restraint systems or their securing sys-
tems that have been damaged or subjected to a load in an accident cannot perform their
intended protective function. In the event of
an accident, sharp braking or a sudden
change in direction, the child may not be held securely. There is an increased risk of serious
or even fatal injuries.
Immediately replace child restraint systems
that have been damaged or subjected to a
load in an accident. Have the child restraint
securing systems checked in a qualified spe-
cialist workshop before fitting a child restraint
system again.
The securing systems of child restraint systems
are:
R the seat belt system
R the ISOFIX securing rings
R the Top Tether anchorages
If it is absolutely necessary to fit a child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat, always
observe the information on "Child restraint sys- tems on the front-passenger seat"
(Y page 61).
Observe the warning labels in the vehicle inte-
rior and on the child restraint system.
i It is advisable to use Mercedes-Benz care
products to clean child restraint systems rec- ommended by Mercedes-Benz. Information
can be obtained at a qualified specialist work-
shop. ISOFIX child seat securing system
G
WARNING
ISOFIX child restraint systems do not offer
sufficient protective effect for children whose weight is greater than 22 kg who are securedusing the safety belt integrated in the child
restraint system. The child could, for example, not be restrained correctly in the event of an
accident. This poses an increased risk of
injury or even fatal injury.
If the child weighs more than 22 kg, only use
ISOFIX child restraint systems with which the child is also secured with the vehicle seat belt.
Also secure the child restraint system with the Top Tether belt, if available.
When fitting a child restraint system, be sure to observe the manufacturer's installation and
operating instructions and the instructions for
correct use of the child restraint system
(Y page 62).
Before every trip, make sure that the ISOFIX
child restraint system is engaged correctly in
both ISOFIX securing rings.
To ensure that the ISOFIX child restraint system can perform its protective function as intended,
the backrest of the respective outer seat in the
second row must be in the upright position.
! When fitting the child restraint system,
make sure that the seat belt for the centre
seat does not get trapped. Otherwise, the
seat belt could be damaged. ISOFIX securing rings for the outer seat in the sec-
ond row of seats ISOFIX securing rings for the third row of seats Children in the vehicle
59Safety Z

Child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat –
if it is absolutely necessary to
secure a child in a child restraint system on the front-passenger seat:
X Always pay attention to the instructions under
"Child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat" (Y page 61).
There, you will also find instructions on how to
correctly route the shoulder belt strap from
the vehicle belt outlet to the shoulder belt
guide on the child restraint system
(Y page 62).
X Move the front-passenger seat as far back as
possible.
X Move the backrest to an almost upright posi-
tion.
The entire base of the child restraint system
must always rest on the seat cushion of the front-passenger seat. The backrest of the
forward-facing child restraint system must, as far as possible, be resting on the backrest of
the front-passenger seat. The child restraint
system must not touch the roof or be put
under strain by the head restraint. Adjust the
angle of the seat backrest and the head
restraint position accordingly. Also observe
the child restraint system manufacturer's
installation instructions.
X Move the seat cushion angle to the highest,
most vertical position.
Installing a child restraint system on a rear
seat in the second row
X Move the backrest of the rear seat in the sec-
ond row to an almost vertical position
(Y page 107).
Suitability of the seats for attaching a belted child restraint system If you use a baby car seat of category 0 or 0+ or a rearward-facing child restraint system of category
I on a rear seat, you must adjust the driver's or front-passenger seat so that the seat does not touch the child restraint system.
If you use a forward-facing child restraint system of category I, you must remove the head restraint
from the respective seat, if possible (Y page 104). The backrest of the child restraint system must,
as far as possible, rest flat against the backrest of the seat.
Make sure that the child's feet do not touch the front seat. If necessary, move the front seat forwards
slightly (Y page 104).
For certain child restraint systems in weight categories II or III, this can mean that the area of use
is restricted. The maximum size setting of the child restraint system may not be possible due to
possible contact with the roof.
In addition, always observe the information in the "Child restraint system" section (Y page 58) and
the child restraint system manufacturer's installation instructions.
When you remove the child restraint system, you must replace the head restraints again immedi-
ately (Y page 104). All vehicle occupants must adjust their head restraints correctly before the
journey.
Legend for the table:
XS eat that is unsuitable for children in this weight category.
US uitable for child restraint systems in the "Universal" category that are approved for use in this
weight category.
UF Suitable for forward-facing child restraint systems that belong to the "Universal" category and are approved for use in this weight category.
LS uitable for child restraint systems as recommended; see "Recommended child restraint sys-
tems" (Y page 65). Children in the vehicle
63Safety Z

Front-passenger seat
Weight category Front-passenger
front airbag enabled Front-passenger
front airbag disa-
bled1 0
up to 10 kg X U, L
0+
up to 13 kg X U, L
I
9 kg to 18 kg UF U, L
II
15 kg to 25 kg UF U, L
III
22 kg to 36 kg UF U, L
Rear seats
Weight category Left, right and third
row of seats Centre
2 0
up to 10 kg U U
0+
up to 13 kg U U
I
9 kg to 18 kg U U
II
15 kg to 25 kg U U
III
22 kg to 36 kg U U
Suitability of the seats for attaching an ISOFIX child restraint system
If you use a baby car seat of category 0 or 0+ or a rearward-facing child restraint system of category
I on a rear seat, you must adjust the driver's or front-passenger seat so that the seat does not touch the child restraint system.
If you use a forward-facing child restraint system of category I, you must remove the head restraint
from the respective seat, if possible (Y page 104). The backrest of the child restraint system must,
as far as possible, rest flat against the backrest of the seat.
In addition, always observe the information in the "Child restraint system" section (Y page 58) and
the child restraint system manufacturer's installation instructions.
When you remove the child restraint system, you must replace the head restraints again immedi-
ately (Y page 104). All vehicle occupants must adjust their head restraints correctly before the
journey.
Make sure that the child's feet do not touch the front seat. If necessary, move the front seat forwards
slightly (Y page 104).
For certain child restraint systems in weight categories II or III, this can mean that the area of use
is restricted. The maximum size setting of the child restraint system may not be possible due to
possible contact with the roof.
The information applies to the second and third rows of seats. If you put a child restraint system on a seat in the third row, move the backrests of the seats in the second row as far forward as possible
(Y page 107).
1 The vehicle is equipped with an automatic front-passenger front airbag deactivation system. The PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp must be lit.
2 Child restraint systems with supporting bracket are not suitable for this seat. 64
Children in the vehicleSafety

Override feature for the rear side win-
dows X
To activate/deactivate: press button:.
If indicator lamp ;is lit, operation of the rear
side windows is disabled. Operation is only
possible using the switches in the driver's
door. If indicator lamp ;is off, operation is
possible using the switches in the rear com-
partment. Pets in the vehicle
G
WARNING
If you leave animals unsupervised or unse-
cured in the vehicle, they may push a button
or a switch, for example.
They could:
R activate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
R switch vehicle systems on or off, thus
endangering other road users
In the event of an accident, sudden braking or
abrupt changes of direction, unsecured ani-
mals could be flung around the vehicle, injur-
ing the vehicle occupants. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Never leave animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Always secure animals correctly during a
journey, e.g. in an animal transport box. Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems overview
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
R ABS (A nti-lock Braking System)
(Y page 69)
R BAS (Brake AssistSystem) (Y page 69)
R Active Brake Assist (Y page 70)
R Adaptive brake lights (Y page 72)
R ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 73)
R EBD (e lectronic brake force distribution)
(Y page 75)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 75)
R Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function
(Y page 75)
R STEER CONTROL (Y page 78) Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you are
inattentive, the driving safety systems can nei-
ther reduce the risk of an accident nor override the laws of physics. Driving safety systems are
merely aids designed to assist driving. You are
responsible for maintaining the distance to the
vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in
good time, and for staying in lane. Always adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing road and
weather conditions and maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front. Drive carefully.
The driving safety systems described only work
as effectively as possible when there is ade-
quate contact between the tyres and the road
surface. Pay particular attention to the informa- tion regarding tyres, recommended minimum
tyre tread depths etc. in the "Wheels and tyres" section (Y page 361).
In wintry driving conditions, always use winter
tyres (M+S tyres) and, if necessary, snow
chains. Only in this way will the driving safety
systems described in this section work as effec-
tively as possible. 68
Driving safety systemsSafety

In such cases, Adaptive Brake Assist can:
R intervene unnecessarily
R not intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation. G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
As a result, the Adaptive Brake Assist may not intervene in all critical conditions. There is a
risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated but non-critical driving conditions
may also cause Brake Assist to intervene.
If Adaptive Brake Assist is not available due to a malfunctioning radar sensor system, the brake
system remains available with full brake boost-
ing effect and BAS. Adaptive brake lights
The adaptive brake lights warn following traffic
in an emergency braking situation by:
R flashing brake lamps
R switching on the hazard warning lamps
If you brake sharply from a speed of more than
50 km/h or are assisted by the Brake Assist, the
brake lamps flash rapidly. In this way, traffic
travelling behind you is warned in an even more
noticeable manner.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more than
70 km/h to a standstill, the hazard warning
lamps are activated automatically. If the brakes are applied again, the brake lamps light up con-
tinuously. The hazard warning lamps switch off
automatically if you travel faster than 10 km/h. You can also switch off the hazard warning lamps using the hazard warning button
(Y
page 122). ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 68).
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction, i.e.
power transmission between the tyres and the
road surface.
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating from
the direction desired by the driver, one or more
wheels are braked to stabilise the vehicle. The
engine output is also modified to keep the vehi- cle on the desired course within physical limits.
ESP ®
assists the driver when pulling away on
wet or slippery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilise
the vehicle during braking.
4ETS (Electronic Traction System) 4ETS traction control is part of ESP
®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
vidually if they spin. This enables you to pull
away and accelerate on slippery surfaces, for
example if the road surface is slippery on one
side. In addition, more drive torque is transfer-
red to the wheel or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active if you deactivate
ESP ®
.
In appropriate driving situations, activate the
off-road programs:
X Vehicles without the Off-Road Engineering
package (Y page 228)
X Vehicles with the Off-Road Engineering pack-
age (Y page 229)
Off-road 4ETS (Electronic Traction Sys-
tem) An ETS system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once an off-
road program is activated:
R Vehicles without the Off-Road Engineering
package (Y page 228)
R Vehicles with the Off-Road Engineering pack-
age (Y page 229) 72
Driving safety systemsSafety