2016 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS SUV suspension

Speedometer
Digital ............................................ 245
In the Instrument cluster ................. 35
Segments ...................................... 241
Selecting a display unit .................. 251
Start/Stop button
Starting the engine ........................ 150
Start/stop function
see ECO start/stop function
Starting (engine) ................................ 149
STEER CONTROL ..................................78
Steering
Display message ............................2 89
Steering Pilot
Activating/deactivating ................. 250
Display message ............................ 281
Steering wheel
Adjusting (electrically) ................... 114
Adjusting (manually) ...................... 113
Button overview ............................... 36
Buttons (on-board computer) ......... 242
Cleaning ......................................... 343
Important safety notes .................. 113
Steering wheel heating .................. 114
Storing settings (memory func-
tion) ............................................... 118
Steering wheel gearshift paddles .... 160
Steering wheel heating
Problem (malfunction) ................... 115
Switching on/of f........................... 114
Stopwatch (RACETIMER) ................... 256
Stowage areas ................................... 312
Stowage compartments
Armrest (under) ............................. 313
Centre console .............................. 314
Centre console (rear) ..................... 314
Cup holde r..................................... 320
Glove compartment ....................... 313
Important safety information ......... 312
Spectacles compartment ............... 314
Stowage net ....................................... 314
Stowage space
Stowage net ................................... 314
Summer tyres
In winter ........................................ 363
Sun blind
Rear side window s......................... 322 Sun visor
............................................ 322
Suspension settings
AMG RIDE CONTROL sports sus-
pension .......................................... 200
SETUP (on-board computer) .......... 256
Switching on media mode
Via the device list .......................... 310
Switching the auxiliary heating/
ventilation
On/off ........................................... 141 T
Tailgate Display message ............................ 286
Emergency unlocking ....................... 93
Important safety notes .................... 89
Limiting the opening angle ............... 92
Opening dimensions ...................... 387
Opening/closing (automatically
from inside) ...................................... 92
Opening/closing (automatically
from outside) ................................... 90
Opening/closing (from outside) ....... 90
Power closing .................................. 88
Tank
see Fuel tank
Technical data
Capacities ...................................... 381
Information .................................... 379
Trailer load s................................... 390
Tyres/wheels ................................. 374
Vehicle data ................................... 387
Telephone
Accepting a call (multifunction
steering wheel) .............................. 248
Authorising a mobile phone (con-
necting) ......................................... 307
Connecting a Mobile phone (gen-
eral information) ............................ 306
Display message ............................ 289
Menu (on-board computer) ............ 248
Number from the phone book ........ 248
Redialling ....................................... 249
Rejecting/ending a call ................. 248
See also Digital Owner's Manua l... 303
Switching between mobile
phones ........................................... 307 Index
21

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

R
the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears unless the accel-
erator pedal is depressed fully.
R the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being driven
at lower engine speeds and the wheels being less likely to spin.
Sport drive program The
Sport drive program has the following char-
acteristics:
R sporty engine and transmission settings.
R the automatic transmission shifting up later.
As a result of the later automatic transmission
shift points, the fuel consumption possibly
being higher.
R the suspension exhibits sporty damping (vehi-
cles with AIRMATIC).
Drive program Sport Plus (Mercedes-
AMG vehicles) The
Sport Plus drive program has the following
characteristics:
R the vehicle exhibits particularly sporty driving
characteristics.
R the vehicle pulling away in first gear.
R the automatic transmission shifting up later.
As a result of the later automatic transmission
shift points, the fuel consumption possibly
being higher.
R the suspension exhibits particularly firm
springing and damping settings (vehicles with
AIRMATIC).
R the ECO start/stop function is deactivated, it
can, however, be activated again using the
ECO button (Y page 153).
Individual drive program In the
Individual drive program, the following
properties of the drive program can be selected:
R the drive (engine and transmission manage-
ment)
R the transmission
R the suspension
R all vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehicles):
the steering
R all vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehicles):
availability of the ECO start/stop function To select the gears in the
Individualdrive pro-
gram permanently using the steering wheel pad- dles, select the permanent manual gearshift
program.
Information about configuring the Individual
drive program with the multimedia system can
be found in the Digital Owner's Manual. Manual gearshifting
General notes You can shift gears yourself using the steering
wheel gearshift paddles. The transmission must
be in position Dto do this.
Depending on which steering wheel gearshift
paddle is pulled, the automatic transmission
immediately shifts into the next gear up or
down, if permitted.
To use manual shifting, you have two options:
R temporary setting
R permanent setting
If you activate manual gearshifting, the multi-
function display will show the current gear
instead of transmission position D.
If manual gearshifting is deactivated, the gears
will be selected automatically.
Temporary setting X
To activate: shift the DIRECT SELECT lever to
position D.
X Pull steering wheel gearshift paddle :or;.
The temporary setting will remain active for a
certain amount of time. Under certain condi-
tions, the minimum amount of time is extended, e.g. in the case of lateral acceleration, during an overrun phase or when driving on steep terrain. 160
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking

Deactivate the HOLD function (Y
page 196).
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if:
R the vehicle is stationary
R the engine is running or if it has been auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function
R the driver's door is closed or if your seat belt
is fastened
R the electric parking brake is released
R the transmission is in position D,Ror N
R Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is deactivated
Activating the HOLD function X
Make sure that the activation conditions are
met.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Quickly depress the brake pedal further
until :appears in the multifunction display.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
i If depressing the brake pedal the first time
does not activate the HOLD function, wait
briefly and then try again.
Deactivating the HOLD function The HOLD function is deactivated automatically
if:
R you accelerate and the transmission is in
position Dor R.
R you shift the transmission to position P.
R you depress the brake pedal again with a cer-
tain amount of pressure until :disappears
from the multifunction display.
R you secure the vehicle using the electric park-
ing brake.
R you activate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC. i
After a short period, the vehicle is secured
by the electric parking brake, thus relieving
the service brake.
When the HOLD function is activated, the trans-
mission is shifted automatically to position Pif:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's seat
belt is unfastened
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function
The electric parking brake secures the vehicle
automatically if the HOLD function is activated,
the vehicle is stationary and:
R a system fault occurs.
R the power supply is insufficient.
On steep uphill or downhill inclines or if there is
a malfunction, the transmission may also be
automatically shifted into position P. AIRMATIC package
General notes AIRMATIC is an air suspension system with var-
iable damping for improved driving comfort.
Level control ensures the best possible suspen- sion and constant ground clearance, even with a laden vehicle. When you drive at speed, the
vehicle is lowered automatically to improve driv-
ing safety and to reduce fuel consumption. You
also have the option of manually adjusting the
vehicle level.
AIRMATIC consists of:
R level settings
R level control and
R ADS or ADS PLUS (Adaptive Damping Sys-
tem)
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): your vehicle may also be equipped with
the ACTIVE CURVE SYSTEM (Y page 198).
Mercedes-AMG vehicles : your vehicle is equip-
ped with the ACTIVE CURVE SYSTEM
(Y page 198).
Observe the notes on driving with a trailer
(Y page 234).
The vehicle level can be set using the DYNAMIC
SELECT controller (Y page 155)or the level but-
ton (Y page 198). The setting always corre-
sponds to the last function selected. 196
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Important safety notes
G
WARNING
People's limbs may become trapped if they
are located underneath the vehicle or
between the vehicle body and the tyres when the vehicle is lowering. There is a danger of
injury.
When lowering the vehicle, make sure no one
is underneath the vehicle or in the immediate vicinity of the wheel arches.
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, e.g. after the vehicle has
been stationary for a long period, the engine
must be running. For safety reasons, the vehicle is only lowered when the doors are closed. Low-
ering is interrupted if a door is opened; it con-
tinues once the door has been closed.
ADS and ADS PLUS (Adaptive Damping
System) General notes
The Adaptive Damping System automatically
controls the calibration of the dampers. The
damping characteristics adapt to the current
operating and driving situation.
The damping is tuned individually to each wheel
and depends on:
R your driving style, e.g. sporty
R the road surface conditions
R the drive program selected
R the vehicle level setting
Selecting Comfort mode In the
Comfort drive program, the driving char-
acteristics of your vehicle are more comforta-
ble. Therefore, select this drive program if you
prefer a more comfortable driving style. Also
select the Comfortdrive program when driving
fast on straight roads, e.g. on straight stretches
of motorway.
X Select the Comfortdrive program using
DYNAMIC SELECT controller :.
The vehicle is adjusted to the normal level.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): in theComfort drive program, the vehicle
is:
R lowered by 15 mm if you drive at speeds
above 125 km/h
R raised again if you drive at speeds below
80 km/h
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: in theComfort drive
program, the vehicle is:
R lowered by 10 mm if you drive at speeds
above 180 km/h
R raised again if you drive at speeds below
140 km/h
Selecting Sport mode The firmer suspension setting in the
Sportdrive
program ensures even better contact with the
road. Select this drive program when employing
a sporty driving style, e.g. on winding country
roads.
DSR is not available in the Sportdrive program.
Further information on DSR (Y page 227).
X Select the Sportdrive program using
DYNAMIC SELECT controller :.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): the vehicle is lowered by 15 mm com-
pared to the normal level.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: the vehicle
remains at the normal level. Driving systems
197Driving 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 mode
when employing a sporty driving style, e.g. on
winding country roads or, ideally, when driving
on closed race circuits.
DSR is not available in the Sport Plusdrive pro-
gram. Further information on DSR
(Y page 227).
X Select the Sport Plus drive program using
DYNAMIC SELECT controller :.
The vehicle is lowered by 10 mm compared to
the normal level.
ACTIVE CURVE SYSTEM The ACTIVE CURVE SYSTEM uses active stabil-
isers to optimise both driving comfort and vehi- cle dynamics. Depending on the drive program
selected (Y page 159), the ACTIVE CURVE SYS-
TEM also changes the setting.
If you have selected the Comfortdrive 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 Sportdrive 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 again reduced significantly
R the driving is designed for maximum dyna-
mism Vehicle level Important safety notes
G
WARNING
People's limbs may become trapped if they
are located underneath the vehicle or
between the vehicle body and the tyres when the vehicle is lowering. There is a danger of
injury.
When lowering the vehicle, make sure no one
is underneath the vehicle or in the immediate vicinity of the wheel arches. G
WARNING
When driving at a raised vehicle level, the driv- ing characteristics may be significantly affec-ted by the vehicle's raised centre of gravity.
The vehicle may be more liable to tip when
cornering, for example. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always select as low a vehicle level as possi-
ble and adjust your driving style accordingly. G
WARNING
When driving with a lowered or raised chassis frame, the driving and braking characteristics
may be seriously affected. A raised chassis
frame may also exceed the permissible vehi-
cle height. There is a risk of an accident.
Set the driving level before pulling away. G
WARNING
Due to the high centre of gravity, the vehicle
may start to skid and overturn in the event of abrupt steering manoeuvres 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 SUVs overturn considerably more often than
other vehicle types. 198
Driving systemsDriving and parking

X
Start the engine.
If indicator lamp ;is lit:
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;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 155).
Vehicles with a trailer coupled: the vehicle
is adjusted to normal level regardless of the
drive program selected (Y page 155). The
vehicle remains at normal level, even if you
change drive programs.
During the adjustment, the Lowering
Lowering mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
If you press the %ora button on the
multifunction steering wheel, the message will
disappear. AMG RIDE CONTROL
General notes 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 centre console
or the DYNAMIC SELECT controller
(Y page 155).
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, Comfort mode is activated when the engine is
next started. 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 :repeatedly until indicator
lamp =lights up.
You have selected Sport mode.
The AMG Ride Control SPORT AMG Ride Control SPORT message
appears in the multifunction display.
Sport + mode The very firm setting of the suspension setting in
Sport + mode ensures the best possible contact
with the road. Select this mode only when driv-
ing on race circuits.
If indicator lamps ;and =are off:
X Press button :repeatedly until indicator
lamp ;lights up.
You have selected Sport + mode.
The AMG Ride Control SPORT + AMG Ride Control SPORT + message
appears in the multifunction display.
In "Sport +" mode, the vehicle is lowered by
10 mm compared to the normal level.
Comfort mode In Comfort mode, the driving characteristics of
your vehicle are more comfortable. Select this
mode if you prefer a more comfortable driving
style, but also when driving fast on straight
roads, e.g. motorways.
X Press button :repeatedly until indicator
lamps ;and =go out.
You have selected Comfort mode.
The AMG Ride Control COMFORT AMG Ride Control COMFORT message
appears in the multifunction display. 200
Driving systemsDriving and parking

The flap closes again when:
R you have finished the manoeuvring process
R you switch off the engine
R you open the luggage compartment
See the notes on cleaning (Y page 341).
For technical reasons, the flap may remain
open briefly after the camera has been deac- tivated.
Important safety notes The 360° camera is only an aid and may show a
distorted view of obstacles, show them incor-
rectly or not at all. The 360° camera is not a
substitute for attentive driving.
The responsibility for safe manoeuvring and
parking remains with you. Make sure that there
are no persons, animals or objects in range
while manoeuvring and parking.
You are responsible for safety at all times and
must always pay attention to your surroundings when parking and manoeuvring. This applies to
the areas behind, in front of and beside the vehi- cle. You could otherwise endanger yourself and
others.
The 360° camera will not function or will func-
tion only to a limited extent:
R If the doors are open
R If the exterior mirrors are folded in
R If the tailgate is open
R In heavy rain, snow or fog
R At night or in very dark places
R If the cameras are exposed to very bright light
R If the area is lit by fluorescent bulbs or LED
lighting (the display may flicker)
R If there is a sudden change in temperature,
e.g. when driving into a heated garage in win- ter
R If the camera lenses are dirty or covered
R If the vehicle components in which the cam-
eras are fitted are damaged. In this event,
have the camera position and setting checked
at a qualified specialist workshop
Do not use the 360° camera under such cir-
cumstances. You could otherwise injure others
or damage objects when parking the vehicle.
Guide lines are always shown at road level. In
trailer mode, the guide lines are shown at the
level of the trailer coupling. The field of vision and other functions of the
camera system may be restricted due to addi-
tional accessories on the rear of the vehicle (e.g.
licence plate holder, bicycle rack).
On vehicles with height-adjustable suspension,
due to the technical conditions, leaving the
standard height can result in the following:
R Inaccuracies in the guide lines
R Inaccuracies in the display of generated
images (top view)
Activation conditions The 360° camera image can be displayed if:
R your vehicle is equipped with a 360° camera
R the key is in position 2in the ignition lock
R the multimedia system is switched on
Activating the 360° camera X
Press the Øbutton in the centre console
for longer than two seconds.
The following appears depending on whether transmission position Dor Ris selected:
R a split screen with top view and the image
from the front camera or
R a split screen with top view and the image
from the reversing camera
or
X Press the Øbutton in the centre console.
The vehicle menu appears.
X Select 360°
360° camera camera and press 7to confirm.
The following appears depending on whether transmission position Dor Ris selected:
R a split screen with top view and the image
from the front camera or
R a split screen with top view and the image
from the reversing camera
Switching on the 360° camera using
reverse gear You can show images from the 360° camera
automatically by engaging reverse gear. Driving systems
213Driving and parking Z