2017 MERCEDES-BENZ GLA-Class Owner's Manual

with limitations, or not at all. This could affect,for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect. You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk
of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving.
GWARNING
If you operate mobile communication equip-
ment while driving, you will be distracted from traffic conditions. You could also lose control
of the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
Only operate this equipment when the vehicle
is stationary.
Observe the legal requirements for the coun-
try in which you are driving. Some jurisdic-
tions prohibit the driver from using a mobile
phone while driving a vehicle.
If you make a call while driving, always use
hands-free mode. Only operate the telephone
when the traffic situation permits. If you are
unsure, pull over to a safe location and stop
before operating the telephone.
Bear in mind that at a speed of only 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), the vehicle covers
a distance of 44 ft (approximately 14 m) per
second.
Drive sensibly – save fuel
Observe the following tips to save fuel:
RThe tires should always be inflated to the
recommended tire pressure.
RRemove unnecessary loads.
RRemove roof racks when they are not nee-
ded.
RWarm up the engine at low engine speeds.
RAvoid frequent acceleration or braking.
RHave all maintenance work carried out as
indicated by the service intervals in the
Maintenance Booklet or by the service
interval display.
Fuel consumption also increases when driv-
ing in cold weather, in stop-start traffic and in
hilly terrain.
Drinking and driving
GWARNING
Drinking and driving and/or taking drugs and driving are very dangerous combinations.
Even a small amount of alcohol or drugs can
affect your reflexes, perceptions and judg-
ment.
The possibility of a serious or even fatal acci-
dent is greatly increased when you drink or
take drugs and drive.
Do not drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive who has been drinking or tak-
ing drugs.
Emission control
GWARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There
is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces with-
out sufficient ventilation.
Certain engine systems are designed to keep
the level of poisonous components in exhaust
fumes within legal limits.
These systems only work at peak efficiency if
they are serviced exactly in accordance with
the manufacturer's specifications. Always
have work on the engine carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop. Mercedes-
Benz recommends that you use an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for this purpose. In
particular, work relevant to safety or on
safety-related systems must be carried out at
a qualified specialist workshop.
The engine settings must not be changed
under any circumstances. Furthermore, all
specific service work must be carried out at
regular intervals and in accordance with the
Mercedes-Benz service requirements. Details
can be found in the Maintenance Booklet.
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ECO display
The ECO display provides feedback on how
economical your driving characteristics are.
The ECO display assists you in achieving the
most economical driving style for the selec-
ted settings and prevailing conditions. Your
driving style can significantly influence the
vehicle's consumption.
The ECO display consists of three bars:
RAcceleration
RConstant
RCoasting
The percent value is the average value of the
three bars. The three bars and the mean value
begin at the value of 50%. A higher percent-
age indicates a more economical driving
style.
The ECO display does not indicate the actual
fuel consumption. A fixed percentage count
in the ECO display does not indicate a fixed
consumption.
Apart from driving style, consumption is
dependent on many factors such as, e.g.:
Rload
RTire pressure
Rcold start
Rchoice of route
Relectrical consumers switched on
These factors are not included in the ECO dis-
play.
The evaluation of your driving style is carried out using the following three categories:
RAcceleration(evaluation of all accelera-
tion processes):
-The bar fills up: moderate acceleration,
especially at higher speeds
-The bar empties: sporty acceleration
RConstant(assessment of driving behavior
at all times)
-The bar fills up: constant speed and
avoidance of unnecessary acceleration
and deceleration
-The bar empties: fluctuations in speed
RCoasting(assessment of all deceleration
processes)
-The bar fills up: anticipatory driving,
keeping your distance and early release
of the accelerator. The vehicle can coast
without use of the brakes.
-The bar empties: frequent braking
An economical driving style specially requires driving at moderate engine speeds.
To achieve a higher value in the categories
Acceleration
and Constant:
Robserve the gearshift recommendations.
Rdrive the vehicle in drive program Cor E
(vehicles with a DYNAMIC SELECT button).
On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g. on
the highway, only the bar for Constant
will
change.
The ECO display summarizes the driving char-
acteristics from the start of the journey to its
completion. For this reason, the bars change
dynamically at the beginning of the journey.
On longer journeys, there are fewer changes.
For more dynamic changes, carry out a man-
ual reset.
For further information on the ECO display,
see (
Ypage 222).
176Driving tips
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Braking
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients
!On long and steep gradients, you must
reduce the load on the brakes by shifting to
a lower gear in good time. This allows you to
take advantage of the engine's braking
effect. For this, you need to have selected
manual drive program M. This helps you to
avoid overheating the brakes and wearing
them out excessively.
When you take advantage of the engine's
braking effect, a drive wheel may not turn
for some time, e.g. on a slippery road sur-
face. This could cause damage to the drive
train. This type of damage is not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz warranty.
Briefly depressing the accelerator pedal on
downhill gradients while the manual drive
program Mis temporarily activated: the auto-
matic transmission may switch to the last
active automatic drive program Eor S. The
automatic transmission may shift to a higher
gear. This can reduce the engine's braking
effect.
Heavy and light loads
GWARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the braking system can overheat. This increases the stopping distance and can even
cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time.
!Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately.
Drive on for a short while. This allows the air-
flow to cool the brakes more quickly.
Wet roads
If you have driven for a long time in heavy rain
without braking, there may be a delayed reac-
tion from the brakes when braking for the first
time. This may also occur after the vehicle has been washed or driven through deep water.
You have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance from the
vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehi-
cle washed, brake firmly while paying atten-
tion to the traffic conditions. This will warm up
the brake discs, thereby drying them more
quickly and protecting them against corro-
sion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads
If you drive on salted roads, a layer of salt
residue may form on the brake discs and
brake pads. This can result in a significantly
longer braking distance.
RIn order to prevent any salt build-up, apply
the brakes occasionally while paying atten-
tion to the traffic conditions.
RCarefully depress the brake pedal and the
beginning and end of a journey.
RMaintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead.
Driving tips177
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Servicing the brakes
!The brake fluid level may be too low, if:
Rif the red brake warning lamp lights up inthe instrument cluster and
Ryou hear a warning tone while the engineis running
Observe additional warning messages in
the multifunction display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due to
brake pad wear or leaking brake lines.
Have the brake system checked immedi-
ately. Consult a qualified specialist work-
shop to arrange this.
!A function or performance test should
only be carried out on a 2-axle dynamom-
eter. If you wish to operate the vehicle on
such a dynamometer, please consult a
qualified specialist workshop in advance.
You could otherwise damage the drive train
or the brake system.
!As the ESP®system operates automati-
cally, the engine and the ignition must be
switched off (the SmartKey must be in posi-
tion 0or 1in the ignition lock) if:
Rthe electric parking brake is tested on a
brake dynamometer (for a maximum of
ten seconds)
Rthe vehicle is towed with the front axle
raised.
Braking triggered automatically by ESP
®
may seriously damage the brake system.
All checks and maintenance work on the
brake system must be carried out at a quali-
fied specialist workshop.
Have brake pads installed and brake fluid
replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
If the brake system has only been subject to
moderate loads, you should test the function-
ality of your brakes at regular intervals.
You can find a description of Brake Assist
(BAS) on (
Ypage 66).
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only
have brake pads/linings installed on your vehicle which have been approved for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which correspond
to an equivalent quality standard. Brake
pads/linings which have not been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which are not
of an equivalent quality could affect your vehi-
cle's operating safety.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only
use brake fluid that has been specially
approved for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz,
or which corresponds to an equivalent quality
standard. Brake fluid which has not been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which is not of an equivalent quality could
affect your vehicle's operating safety.
Checking brake lining thickness
You can measure the break pad/lining thick- ness using a test gage. Color-coding (green or
red) on the test gage allows you to determine
whether the brake pad/lining thickness is still
sufficient. The test gage is in the vehicle docu-
ment wallet in the glove box.
Front wheel
178Driving tips
Driving and parking

Rear wheel
XBringth evehicl eand wheels into asuitable
position so that you can attach test gage
A.
XSecur eth evehicl eagainst rollin gaway
(
Ypage 171).
XEngage park position P.
XSwitchoff th eengine.
XPlac etest gage Abetween th ewheel's
spoke son brak epad/linin g=.
XHold test gage Averticall yon brak e
disc :and slid emeasurin gpin ;onto
brak edisc :.
XChec kwhic hcolor field ?thearrow on
measurin gpin ;is pointing to .
Green: thebrak epad/linin gthickness is
sufficient.
Red :th ebrak epad/linin gthickness is no t
sufficient. Hav eth ebrak epads/lining
checke dat aqualified specialist workshop .
To avoid an inaccurat emeasurement:
Rmak esur eyou position th ewheels suitably
Rdo no tput th emeasurin gpin on arecess in
th ebrak edisc
Driving on wet road s
Hydroplaning
If water has accumulated to acertain dept h
on th eroa dsurface, there is adanger of
hydroplanin goccurring, eve nif:
Ryou drive at low speeds .
Rthetires hav eadequat etread depth.
Fo rthis reason ,in th eevent of heav yrain or in
condition sin whic hhydroplanin gmay occur ,
you mus tdrive in th efollowin gmanner:
Rlower your speed.
Ravoid ruts.
Ravoid sudden steerin gmovements.
Rbrak ecarefully.
Driving on flooded road s
!Bear in mindthat vehicles travelin gin
fron tor in th eopposit edirection creat e
waves. This may caus eth emaximum per -
missibl ewater dept hto be exceeded .
Failure to observ ethese note smay result in
damag eto th eengine, electrical systems
and transmission .
If you hav eto drive on stretches of roa don
whic hwater has collected, pleas ebear in
min dthat:
Rin th ecas eof standin gwater, th ewater
level may be no higher than th elower edge
of th evehicl ebody
Ryou should drive no faste rthan at awalkin g
pac e
Winter drivin g
GWARNING
If you shift down on aslipper yroa dsurfac ein
an attemp tto increase th eengine's brakin g
effect, th edrive wheels could lose their grip.
There is an increase ddanger of skiddin gand
accidents .
Do no tshift down for additional engin ebrak -
in g on aslipper yroa dsurface.
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GDANGER
If th eexhaust pipe is blocke dor adequate
ventilation is no tpossible, poisonous gase s
suc has carbon monoxide (CO) may ente rth e
vehicle. This is th ecase, e.g. if th evehicl e
become strapped in snow. There is aris kof
fatal injury.
If you leav eth eengin eor th eauxiliary heating
running, mak esur eth eexhaust pipe and area
around th evehicl eare clear of snow. To
ensur ean adequate supply of fresh air, open a
window on th eside of th evehicl ethat is no t
facing int oth ewind.
Hav eyour vehicl ewinter-proofe dat aquali-
fie dspecialist workshop at th eonset of win -
ter.
Drive particularly carefully on slipper yroad
surfaces. Avoid sudde nacceleration ,steering
and brakin gmaneuvers .Do no tuse th ecruise
control or DISTRONI CPLUS.
If th evehicl ethreaten sto skid or canno tbe
stoppe dwhen moving at low speed:
XShift th etransmission to position N.
XTry to bring th evehicl eunder control usin g
corrective steering .
The outside temperature indicator is no t
designed to serve as an ice-warnin gdevice
and is therefor eunsuitable for that purpose .
Changes in th eoutside temperature are dis-
played after ashort delay.
Indicate dtemperatures jus tabov eth efreez -
in g p
oin tdo no tguarantee that th eroad sur -
fac eis free of ice .The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges .
You should pay special attention to road con-
dition swhen temperatures are around freez -
in g point.
Fo rmor einformation on drivin gwit hsnow
chains, see (
Ypage 343).
Fo rmor einformation on drivin gwit hsummer
tires ,see (
Ypage 342).
Observ eth enote sin th e"Winte roperation "
section (
Ypage 342).
Off-road driving
Import ant safety notes
GWARNIN G
If you drive on asteep inclin eat an angle or
tur nwhen drivin gon an incline, th evehicl e
could slip sideways, ti pand rollover. There is a
ris kof an accident.
Always drive on asteep inclin ein th elin eof
fall (straight up or down )and do no ttur nth e
vehicle.
GWARNIN G
Flammabl ematerial suc has leaves, grass or
twigs may ignit eif they come int ocontact wit h
hot part sof th eexhaust system. There is aris k
of fire.
Whe ndrivin goff roa dor on unpaved roads,
chec kth evehicle's underside regularly. In
particular, remove part sof plants or other
flammabl ematerials whic hhav ebecome
trapped .In th ecas eof damage, contact a
qualified specialist workshop .
!There isaris kof damag eto th evehicl eif:
Rth evehicl ebecome sstuck ,e.g. on ahigh
cur bor an unpaved road
Ryou drive to ofas tove ran obstacle, e.g. a
cur bor ahole in th eroad
Raheav yobjec tstrikes th eundercarriage
or part sof th echassi s
In situation slik ethis, th ebody, th eunder-
carriage, chassi sparts, wheels or tires
could be damaged without th edamag e
bein gvisible. Components damaged in this
way can unexpectedly fail or, in th ecas eof
an accident, no longer withstand th estrain
they are designed to .
If th eunderbody panelin gis damaged,
combustible materials suc has leaves,
gras sor twigs can gather between th e
underbody and th eunderbody paneling. If
these materials come in contact wit hhot
part sof th eexhaust system, they can catch
fire.
180Driving tips
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In such situations, have the vehicle
checked and repaired immediately at a
qualified specialist workshop. If on con-
tinuing your journey you notice that driving
safety is impaired, pull over and stop the
vehicle immediately, paying attention to
road and traffic conditions. In such cases,
consult a qualified specialist workshop.
The vehicle is only designed for easily nego-
tiable off-road terrain and poor road surfaces.
When driving off-road, substances such as
sand, mud and water or water mixed with oil
may get into the brakes. This could result in a
reduced braking effect or in total brake failure and also in increased wear and tear. The brak-
ing characteristics change depending on the
material ingressing the brakes. Clean the
brakes after driving off-road. If you detect a
reduced braking effect or grinding noises,
have the brake system checked in a qualified
specialist workshop as soon as possible.
Adapt your driving style to the different brak-
ing characteristics.
Driving off-road increases the likelihood of
damage to the vehicle, which, in turn, can lead
to failure of the mechanical assembly or sys-
tems. Adapt your driving style to suit the ter-
rain conditions. Drive carefully. Have damage
to the vehicle rectified immediately at a quali-
fied specialist workshop.
Do not switch to transmission position N
when driving off-road. If you try to brake the
vehicle using the service brake, you could
lose control of the vehicle. If the gradient is
too steep for your vehicle, drive back down in
reverse gear.
General notes
HEnvironmental note
Protection of the environment is of primary
importance. Treat nature with respect.
Observe all prohibiting signs.
Read this section carefully before driving your
vehicle off-road. Off-road driving is only possible with the Off-
Road Engineering package (
Ypage 199).
The following driving systems are specially
adapted for driving over easily negotiable off-
road terrain:
ROff-road program (Ypage 199)
ROff-road ABS (Ypage 66)
ROff-road 4ETS (Ypage 69)
ROff-road ESP®(Ypage 72)
RDSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
(
Ypage 197)
Observe the following notes:
RStop the vehicle before starting to drive
along an off-road route. If necessary, acti-
vate the off-road program (
Ypage 157).
RTo avoid damaging the vehicle, make sure
there is always sufficient ground clearance.
RCheck that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
(
Ypage 285).
RAlways keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient. Acti-
vate DSR (
Ypage 197).
RDrive slowly and evenly, if necessary at a
walking pace.
REnsure that the wheels are in contact with
the ground at all times.
RDrive with extreme care on unfamiliar off-
road routes where visibility is poor. For
safety reasons, get out of the vehicle first
and survey the off-road route.
RCheck the depth of water before fording
rivers and streams.
RWatch out for obstacles.
RTake care when turning on an uphill or
downhill slope or when driving across a
slope. The vehicle could otherwise tip over.
RAlways keep the side windows and the pan-
orama roof with power tilt/sliding panel
closed during the journey.
RDo not deviate from marked routes.
Do not use the HOLD function when driving
off-road, on steep uphill or downhill gradients or on slippery or loose surfaces. The HOLD
Driving tips181
Driving and parking
Z

function cannot hold the vehicle on such sur-
faces.
Checklist before driving off-road
XEngine oil level:check the engine oil level
and add oil if necessary.
When driving on steep gradients, the
engine oil level must be sufficiently high to
ensure a correct oil supply in the vehicle.
XWheels and tires: check the tire tread
depth and tire pressure.
XCheck for damage and remove any foreign
objects, e.g. small stones, from the
wheels/tires.
XReplace any missing valve caps.
XReplace dented or damaged wheels.
XRims: dented or bent rims can result in a
loss of tire pressure and damage the tire
bead. Before driving off-road, check the
wheels and replace them if necessary.
Checklist after driving off-road
!If you detect damage to the vehicle after
driving off-road, have the vehicle checked
immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
XDeactivate off-road program (Ypage 157).
XDeactivate DSR (Ypage 197).
XClean the headlamps and rear lights and
check for damage.
XClean the front and rear license plates.
XClean the wheels and tires with a water jet and remove any foreign objects.
XClean the wheels, wheel housings and the
vehicle underside with a water jet; check
for any foreign objects and damage.
XCheck whether twigs or other parts of
plants have become trapped. These
increase the risk of fire and can damage
fuel pipes, brake hoses or the rubber bel-
lows of the axle joints and propeller shafts.
XAfter the trip, examine without fail the
entire undercarriage, wheels, tires, brakes, bodywork structure, steering, chassis and
exhaust system for damage.
XAfter driving in sand, mud, gravel, water or
similar dirty conditions, have the following
checked and cleaned:
Rbrake discs
Rwheels
Rbrake pads
Raxle joints
XIf you detect strong vibrations after off-road
travel, check for foreign objects in the
wheels and drive train and remove them if
necessary. Foreign objects can disturb the
balance and cause vibrations.
Driving over poor road surfaces places
greater demands on your vehicle than driving
on normal roads. After driving off-road, check
the vehicle. This allows you to detect damage promptly and reduce the risk of an accident to
yourself and other road users.
Driving on sand
Observe the following rules when driving on
sand:
RActivate the off-road program
(
Ypage 157).
RAvoid high engine speeds.
RUse the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter to shift to a lower gear appropriate
to the terrain.
RDrive quickly to overcome the rolling resist-ance. Otherwise the vehicle's wheels could
become stuck in loose ground.
RDrive in the tracks of other vehicles if pos-
sible. Make sure that:
-the tire ruts are not too deep.
-the sand is sufficiently firm.
-the ground clearance of the vehicle is
sufficient.
Tire ruts and gravel roads
!Check that the ruts are not too deep and
that your vehicle has sufficient clearance.
182Driving tips
Driving and parking