2016 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS SUV Media

strap must be routed forwards and down-
wards from the vehicle belt sash guide. If nec-
essary, adjust the vehicle belt sash guide andthe front-passenger seat accordingly. Always
observe the information about suitable posi-
tioning of the child restraint system in this
Owner's Manual as well as the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions.
Always observe the vehicle-specific information
for the correct positioning of the child restraint
system (Y page 62).
If the automatic front-passenger front airbag
deactivation system detects that:
R the front-passenger seat is unoccupied, the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
lights up after the system self-test and
remains lit. This indicates that the front-
passenger front airbag is disabled.
R the front-passenger seat is occupied by a
child in a rearward-facing child restraint sys-
tem, the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp lights up after the system self-test and
remains lit. This indicates that the front-
passenger front airbag is disabled.
But in the case of a child in a rearward-facing
child restraint system, the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp can also go out after
the system self-test. This indicates that the
front-passenger front airbag is enabled. The
result of the classification is dependent on,
among other factors, the child restraint sys-
tem and the child's stature. It is recommen-
ded that you fit the child restraint system to a
suitable rear seat.
R the front-passenger seat is occupied by a
child in a forward-facing child restraint sys-
tem, either the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp lights up and remains lit after
the system self-test depending on the result
of the classification, or it goes out. The result of the classification is dependent on, among
other factors, the child restraint system and
the child's stature.
Move the front-passenger seat as far back as
possible. Always observe the information in
"Child restraint systems on the front-
passenger seat" (Y page 61) and in "Suita-
ble positioning of the child restraint system"
(Y page 62). Alternatively, you can fit the
child restraint system to a suitable rear seat. R
the front-passenger seat is occupied by a per-
son of smaller stature (e.g. a teenager or
small adult), the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp lights up and remains lit after
the system self-test depending on the result
of the classification or, alternatively, goes out.
- If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is off, move the front-passenger seat
as far back as possible. Alternatively, a per-
son with a small stature can sit on a rear
seat.
- If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is lit, a person with a smaller stature
should not use the front-passenger seat.
R the front-passenger seat is occupied by an
adult or a person with the stature of an adult,
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
goes out after the system self-test. This indi-
cates that the front-passenger front airbag is enabled.
If children are travelling in the vehicle, be sure to
observe the notes on "Children in the vehicle"
(Y page 57).
If the automatic front-passenger front airbag
deactivation system is malfunctioning, the red
6 restraint system warning lamp on the
instrument cluster and the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp light up simultaneously.
The front-passenger front airbag is disabled in
this case and does not deploy during an acci-
dent. Have the automatic front-passenger front
airbag deactivation system checked and
repaired immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop. Mercedes-Benz recommends that
you use a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this purpose.
If the front-passenger seat, the seat cover or the
seat cushion are damaged, have the necessary
repair work carried out at a qualified specialist
workshop. Mercedes-Benz recommends that
you use a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this purpose.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you use only a child restraint systemthat has been tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz in combination with the auto-
matic front-passenger front airbag deactivation
system. 52
Occupant safetySafety

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

Problems with automatic front-passenger front airbag deactivation
Be sure to observe the notes on "System self-test" (Y
page 53).Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp
lights up and remains lit,
even though the front-
passenger seat is occu-
pied by an adult or a per-
son with a build corre-
sponding to that of an
adult. The classification of the person on the front-passenger seat is false.
X Make sure the conditions for a correct classification of the person
on the front-passenger seat are met (Y page 50).
X If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp remains lit, the front-
passenger seat may not be used.
X Have the automatic front-passenger front airbag deactivation sys-
tem checked immediately at a qualified specialist workshop. The PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp
does not light up and/or
does not stay on.
The front-passenger seatis:
R empty
R occupied with a rear-
ward-facing child
restraint system The automatic front-passenger front airbag deactivation system is
malfunctioning.
X Make sure there is nothing between the seat and the child restraint
system.
X Make sure that the entire base of the child restraint system rests on
the seat cushion of the front-passenger seat.
X When installing the child restraint system, make sure that the seat
belt is tight. Do not pull the seat belt tight with the front-passenger
seat adjustment. This could result in the seat belt and the child
restraint system being pulled too tightly.
X Check that the child restraint system is installed correctly.
X Make sure that no objects are applying additional weight to the
seat.
X If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp remains off and/or
the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp lights up, do not install
a rearward-facing child restraint system on the front-passenger
seat. It is recommended that you fit the child restraint system to a suitable rear seat.
X Have the automatic front-passenger front airbag deactivation sys-
tem checked immediately at a qualified specialist workshop. Deployment of belt tensioners and air-
bags
Important safety notes G
WARNING
After the airbag deploys, the airbag parts are
hot. There is a risk of injury.
Do not touch the airbag parts. Have a
deployed airbag replaced at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop as soon as possible. G
WARNING
Pyrotechnical belt tensioners which have
been triggered are no longer operational and
therefore cannot protect as intended. There is an increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Have pyrotechnic belt tensioners which have
been triggered replaced at a qualified special-
ist workshop immediately.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have the
vehicle towed to a qualified specialist workshop
after an accident. Take this into account, par-
ticularly if a seat belt tensioner was triggered or
an airbag was deployed. 54
Occupant safetySafety

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

uations, PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS takes pre-emptive
measures to protect the vehicle occupants.
Important safety notes The intervention of PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS cannot
prevent an imminent collision.
The driver is not warned before the intervention
of PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS.
PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS does not intervene:
R if the vehicle is reversing
R when the vehicle is towing a trailer and there
is a risk of a rear-end collision
When driving, or when parking or exiting a park-
ing space with assistance from Parking Pilot,
PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS will not apply the brakes.
Function PRE-SAFE
®
PLUS intervenes in certain situa-
tions if the radar sensor system detects an
imminent head-on or rear-end collision.
PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS takes the following measures
depending on the hazardous situation detected:
R if the radar sensor system detects that a
head-on collision is imminent, the seat belts
are pre-tensioned
R if the radar sensor system detects that a rear-
end collision is imminent:
- the rear hazard warning lamps are activa-
ted and flash at a higher frequency
- the brake pressure is increased if the driver
applies the brakes when the vehicle is sta- tionary
- the seat belts are pre-tensioned
The PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS braking application is can-
celled:
R if the accelerator pedal is depressed when a
gear is engaged
R if the risk of a collision passes or is no longer
detected
R if Distance Pilot DISTRONIC indicates an
intention to pull away
If the hazardous situation passes without result- ing in an accident, the original settings are
restored. Automatic measures after an acci-
dent
Immediately after an accident, the following
measures may be implemented, depending on
the type and severity of the impact:
R the hazard warning lamps are activated
R the emergency lighting is activated
R the vehicle doors are unlocked
R the front side windows are lowered
R vehicles with a memory function: the electri-
cally adjustable steering wheel is raised
R the engine is switched off and the fuel supply
is cut off
R vehicles with the Mercedes-Benz emergency
call system: automatic emergency call Children in the vehicle
Important safety notes
Accident statistics show that children secured
in the rear seats are safer than children secured in the front seats. For this reason, Mercedes-
Benz strongly advises that you fit a child
restraint system on a rear seat. Children are
generally better protected there.
If a child younger than twelve years old and
under 1.50 m in height is travelling in the vehi-
cle:
R always secure the child in a child restraint
system suitable for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The child restraint system must be appropri-
ate to the age, weight and size of the child.
R be sure to observe the instructions and safety
notes in this section in addition to the child
restraint system manufacturer's installation
instructions
R be sure to observe the instructions and safety
notes on the automatic front-passenger front
airbag deactivation system (Y page 50). Children in the vehicle
57Safety Z

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

Function
The distance warning function issues a warning
at speeds:
R of approximately 30 km/h or more, if, over
several seconds, the distance maintained to
the vehicle travelling in front is insufficient.
The · distance warning lamp then lights
up in the instrument cluster.
R of approximately 7 km/h or more, if you rap-
idly approach a vehicle in front. An intermit-
tent warning tone will then sound and the
· distance warning lamp will light up in the
instrument cluster.
X Brake immediately to increase the distance
from the vehicle in front.
or
X Take evasive action provided it is safe to do
so.
Due to the nature of the system, certain com-
plex but non-critical driving conditions may also
cause the system to display a warning.
With the help of the radar sensor system, the
distance warning function can detect obstacles
that are in the path of your vehicle for an exten-
ded period of time.
Up to a speed of approximately 70 km/h, the
distance warning function can also react to sta- tionary obstacles, such as stopped or parked
vehicles.
Autonomous braking function If the driver does not react to the distance warn-
ing signal in a critical situation, Active Brake
Assist can assist the driver with the autonomous
braking function.
The autonomous braking function is available in
the following speed ranges:
R 7 - 105 km/h for moving objects
R 7 - 50 km/h for stationary objects
Due to the nature of the system, complex but
non-critical driving conditions may also cause
the autonomous braking function to engage.
If the autonomous braking function demands
particularly high braking force, preventative
passenger protection measures (PRE-SAFE ®
)
are activated simultaneously (Y page 56).Adaptive Brake Assist General information
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 68).
With the help of the radar sensor system, Adap-
tive Brake Assist can detect obstacles that are in the path of your vehicle for an extended period
of time.
If Adaptive Brake Assist detects a risk of colli-
sion with the vehicle in front, it calculates the
brake pressure necessary to avoid a collision. If
you apply the brakes forcefully, Adaptive Brake
Assist automatically increases the brake pres-
sure to a level suitable for the traffic conditions.
Adaptive Brake Assist provides braking assis-
tance in hazardous situations at speeds above
7 km/h. It uses the radar sensor system to
assess the traffic situation.
Up to a speed of approximately 250 km/h,
Adaptive Brake Assist is capable of reacting to
moving objects that have already been detected
as such at least once over the period of obser-
vation.
Up to a speed of approximately 70 km/h, Adap-
tive Brake Assist reacts to stationary obstacles.
If Adaptive Brake Assist demands a particularly
high braking force, preventative passenger pro- tection measures (PRE-SAFE ®
) are activated
simultaneously (Y page 56).
X Keep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will work normally again if: R you release the brake pedal
R the risk of collision with the vehicle in front
has passed
R no obstacle is detected in the path of your
vehicle
Adaptive Brake Assist is then deactivated.
Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Y page 68). G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic situa-
tions. Driving safety systems
71Safety
Z

radar sensors checked at a qualified specialist
workshop. This also applies to collisions at low
speeds where no damage to the front of the
vehicle is visible.
Following damage to the windscreen, have the
configuration and operation of the camera sys-
tem checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Function X
To activate or deactivate: activate or deac-
tivate Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic
function using the on-board computer
(Y page 250).
If the Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic
function is deactivated, the æsymbol
appears in the multifunction display.
If you have activated DSR (Y page 227), the
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function is
deactivated.
This function issues a warning:
R at a speed of approximately 30 km/h or
higher, the distance maintained to the vehicle
travelling in front is insufficient for several
seconds.
The · distance warning lamp then lights
up in the instrument cluster.
R at a speed of approximately 7 km/h or more,
you rapidly approach a vehicle in front or a
pedestrian
An intermittent warning tone will then sound
and the ·distance warning lamp will light
up on the instrument cluster.
X Brake immediately to defuse the situation.
or
X Take evasive action provided it is safe to do
so.
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function
can also brake the vehicle automatically under
the following conditions:
R the driver and front passenger have their seat
belts fastened
and
R the vehicle speed is between approximately
7 km/h and 200 km/h Up to a speed of approximately 70 km/h, Active
Brake Assist with cross-traffic function may
react to:
R stationary objects in the path of your vehicle,
such as stopped or parked vehicles
R pedestrians in the path of your vehicle
i If an increased danger of collision exists,
preventative passenger protection measures
(PRE-SAFE ®
) are triggered (Y page 56).
If the risk of collision remains and you do not
brake, take evasive action or accelerate quickly,
the vehicle may perform automatic braking up to
the point of a full brake application. An auto-
matic full brake application is not performed
until immediately prior to an imminent accident.
If you apply the brake yourself in a critical sit-
uation or during autonomous braking, braking
assistance is provided according to the situa-
tion. If necessary, this increases the brake pres-
sure up to full brake application.
To avoid a collision, Active Brake Assist with
cross-traffic function calculates the brake force
necessary if:
R you approach an obstacle and
R Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function
has detected a risk of a collision
When driving at a speed under30 km/h: if
you depress the brake pedal, Active Brake
Assist with cross-traffic function is activated.
Braking assistance from Active Brake Assist
with cross-traffic function is carried out at the
last possible moment.
When driving at a speed above30 km/h: if
you depress the brake pedal sharply, Active
Brake Assist with cross-traffic function auto-
matically increases the brake pressure to a
degree suited to the traffic situation.
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function
provides braking assistance in hazardous situa-
tions with vehicles in front within a speed range
between 7 km/h and 250 km/h. Driving safety systems
77Safety Z