2017 MERCEDES-BENZ GLA SUV Owners Manual

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The key battery is weak or discharged.
X Unlock the vehicle using the emergency key element (Y page 88).The fuel filler flap is unlocked, but the opening mechanism is jammed.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with hot parts of the exhaust system or exhaust
gas flow. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable mate-
rial can come into contact with hot vehicle
components. In particular, do not park on dry grassland or harvested grain fields. G
WARNING
If you leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle, they may be able to set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position Por shift manual transmission into
neutral
R start the engine
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle.
! Always secure the vehicle correctly against
rolling away. Otherwise, the vehicle or its driv-
etrain could be damaged.
To ensure that the vehicle is safeguarded
against rolling away unintentionally:
R the electric parking brake must be applied
R on vehicles with manual transmission, engage
first gear or reverse gear R
on vehicles with automatic transmission, the
transmission must be in position jand the
transmission position display must show j
in the multifunction display
R the key must be removed from the ignition
lock
R on uphill or downhill gradients, the front
wheels must be turned towards the kerb Switching off the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake.
Manual transmission X
Shift to either first gear or reverse gear k.
X With the key: turn the key to position gin
the ignition lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
X With the Start/Stop button: press the
Start/Stop button (Y page 144).
The engine stops and all the indicator lamps
on the instrument cluster go out.
If the driver's door is closed, this is the same
as key position 1. If the driver's door is open,
this is the same as key position g, i.e. the
key having been removed.
X Apply the electric parking brake. 166
ParkingDriving and parking

Automatic transmission
X
Apply the electric parking brake.
X All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): shift the transmission to position j.X
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: press button:.
X With the key: turn the key to position gin
the ignition lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
X With the Start/Stop button: press the
Start/Stop button (Y page 144).
The engine stops and all the indicator lamps
on the instrument cluster go out.
If the driver's door is closed, this is the same
as key position 1. If the driver's door is open,
this is the same as key position g, i.e. the
key having been removed.
If you switch the engine off with the transmis-
sion in position korh, the automatic trans-
mission shifts to iautomatically.
With the key: if you then open the driver's door
or the front-passenger door or remove the key
from the ignition, the automatic transmission
shifts to jautomatically.
With the Start/Stop button: if you then open
the driver's door or the front-passenger door,
the automatic transmission shifts to jauto-
matically.
If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral i, e.g. when having the vehi-
cle cleaned in an automatic car wash with a
towing system:
X Vehicles with the Start-Stop button:
remove the Start-Stop button from the igni-
tion lock.
X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
X All vehicles: switch the ignition on. X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Engage neutral i.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the key in the
ignition lock. Electric parking brake
General notes G
WARNING
If you leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle, they may be able to set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position Por shift manual transmission into
neutral
R start the engine
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle.
The function of the electric parking brake is
dependent on the on-board voltage. If the on-
board voltage is low or the system is malfunc-
tioning, it may not be possible to apply the
released parking brake. X If this is the case, park the vehicle only on
level ground and secure it to prevent it from
rolling away.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission to position
j.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
engage first gear.
It may not be possible to release an applied
parking brake if the on-board voltage is low or if
there is a malfunction in the system. Contact a
qualified specialist workshop.
The electric parking brake carries out a function check at regular intervals when the engine is
switched off. Noises that occur are normal. Parking
167Driving and pa rking Z

Applying or releasing manually
X
To apply: push handle :.
When the electric parking brake is applied,
the red !indicator lamp lights up in the
instrument cluster.
The electric parking brake can also be applied
when the key is removed.
X To release: pull handle:.
The red !indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
The electric parking brake can be released
only:
R if the key is in position 1or2 in the igni-
tion lock (Y page 144) or
R if the ignition was switched on using the
Start/Stop button
Applying automatically (vehicles with
automatic transmission) The electric parking brake is automatically
applied when the transmission is in position
P
and:
R the engine is switched off or
R the driver is not wearing a seat belt and the
driver's door is opened
To prevent the electric parking brake from being applied automatically, pull handle :.
The electric parking brake is also applied auto-
matically if:
R Distance Pilot DISTRONIC brings the vehicle
to a standstill or
R the HOLD function is keeping the vehicle sta-
tionary or
R Parking Pilot is keeping the vehicle stationary In addition, at least one of the following condi-
tions must be fulfilled:
R the engine is switched off
R the driver is not wearing a seat belt and the
driver's door is opened
R there is a system malfunction
R the power supply is insufficient
R the vehicle is stationary for a lengthy period
The red !indicator lamp on the instrument
cluster lights up.
The electric parking brake is not automatically
applied if the engine is switched off by the ECO
start/stop function.
Applying automatically (vehicles with
manual transmission) The electric parking brake is applied automati-
cally when the vehicle is being kept stationary by the HOLD function.
In addition, at least one of the following condi-
tions must be fulfilled:
R the engine is switched off
R the driver is not wearing a seat belt and the
driver's door is open
R there is a system malfunction
R the power supply is insufficient
R the vehicle is stationary for a lengthy period
The red !indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
The electric parking brake is not automatically
applied if the engine is switched off by the ECO start/stop function.
Releasing automatically The electric parking brake can only be released
automatically in vehicles with automatic trans-
mission.
The electric parking brake of your vehicle is
released automatically when all the following
conditions are fulfilled:
R the engine is running
R the transmission is in position hork and
you depress the accelerator pedal or shift
from position jtoh ork
R the seat belt is fastened
If the transmission is in position k, the tailgate
must be closed. 168
ParkingDriving and pa
rking

If your seat belt is not fastened, the following
conditions must be fulfilled for the electric park- ing brake to be released automatically:
R the driver's door is closed
R you are shifting from transmission position
j or have previously driven at speeds
greater than 3 km/h
Ensure that you do not depress the accelerator
pedal unintentionally. Otherwise, the parking
brake will be released and the vehicle will start
to move.
Emergency braking The vehicle can also be braked during an emer-
gency by using the electric parking brake.
X While the vehicle is in motion, push handle :
of the electric parking brake (Y page 168).
The vehicle is braked as long as you keep
handle :of the electric parking brake
pressed. The longer the electric parking brake
handle :is depressed, the greater the brak-
ing force.
During braking:
R a warning tone sounds
R the Release parking brake
Release parking brake message
appears
R the red !indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster flashes
When the vehicle has been braked to a stand-
still, the electric parking brake is applied. Parking up the vehicle
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer than
four weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharging.
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer than
six weeks, it may suffer from lack of use.
X Contact a qualified specialist workshop and
seek advice.
i You can obtain information on trickle charg-
ers from a qualified specialist workshop. Driving tips
General notes
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
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.
Drive sensibly – save fuel Observe the following tips to save fuel:
R The tyres should always be inflated to the rec-
ommended tyre pressure.
R Remove unnecessary loads.
R Remove roof racks when they are not needed.
R Warm up the engine at low engine speeds.
R Avoid frequent acceleration or braking.
R Have all maintenance work carried out as
indicated by the service intervals in the Ser-
vice Booklet or by the service interval display.
Fuel consumption also increases when driving in cold weather, in stop-start traffic, on short jour-
neys and in hilly terrain. ECO display
The ECO display shows you how economical
your driving style is. The ECO display assists you in achieving the most economical driving style
for the selected settings and prevailing condi-
tions. Consumption can be significantly influ-
enced by your driving style. :
Acceleration
; Coasting Driving tips
169Driving and parking Z

=
Constant
? Additional range achieved
Range ?is shown under Bonus from start
Bonus from start
and represents the additional range achieved
since the beginning of the journey as a result of an adapted driving style.
If the fuel level has dropped into the reserve
range, the Reserve fuel level
Reserve fuel level message is
shown in the multifunction display instead of
range ?. In addition, the 8warning lamp in
the instrument cluster lights up (Y page 272).
The ECO display consists of three sections, with an inner and outer area. The sections corre-
spond to the following three categories: :
Acceleration
(evaluation of the
acceleration processes):
R the outer area fills up and the inner
area lights up green: moderate
acceleration, especially at higher
speeds
R the outer area empties and the
inner area is grey: sporty acceler-
ation ;
Coasting
(evaluation of all decelera-
tion processes):
R the outer area fills up and the inner
area lights up green: anticipatory
driving, keeping your distance and
early release of the accelerator.
The vehicle can coast without use
of the brakes.
R the outer area empties and the
inner area is grey: frequent heavy
braking =
Constant
(continuous evaluation
over the entire journey):
R the outer area fills up and the inner
area lights up green: constant
speed and avoidance of unneces-
sary acceleration and deceleration
R the outer area empties and the
inner area is grey: fluctuations in
speed The three inner areas display the current driving
style and light up green as a result of a particu-
larly economical driving style. Depending on the driving situation, up to two areas may light up
simultaneously. At the beginning of the journey, the three outer
areas are empty and fill up as a result of eco-
nomical driving. A higher level indicates a more
economical driving style. If the three outer areas
are completely filled at the same time, the driver
has adopted the most economical driving style
for the selected settings and prevailing condi-
tions. The ECO display border lights up.
The ECO display does not indicate the actual fuel consumption. The additionally achieved range
displayed under Bonus from start
Bonus from start does not
indicate a fixed consumption reduction.
In addition to driving style, the actual consump- tion is affected by other factors, such as:
R load
R tyre pressure
R cold start
R choice of route
R the use of electrical consumers
These factors are not included in the ECO dis-
play.
An economical driving style involves driving at a moderate engine speed.
To achieve a higher value in the categories
"Acceleration" and "Constant":
R observe the gearshift recommendation.
R drive the vehicle in drive program Cor E
(vehicles with DYNAMIC SELECT button).
On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g. on the motorway, only the outer area for "Constant"
will change.
The ECO display summarises the driving style
from the start of the journey to its completion.
Therefore, there are more marked changes in
the outer areas at the start of a journey. During
a prolonged driving time, these changes are
smaller. For more marked changes, perform a
manual reset (Y page 222).
Further information on the ECO display
(Y page 221). Braking
Important safety notes G
WARNING
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. 170
Driving tipsDriving and parking

This increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients Shift to a lower gear in good time on long and
steep downhill gradients. For vehicles with auto-
matic transmission, you need to activate manual
gearshifting beforehand (Y page 161). Take par-
ticular note of this when driving a laden vehicle
and when towing a trailer.
This also applies if you have activated cruise
control, the speed limiter or Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC.
This will use the braking effect of the engine, so
less braking will be required to maintain the
vehicle speed. This relieves the load on the
brake system and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly.
Briefly depressing the accelerator pedal on
downhill gradients while the manual drive pro-
gram Mis temporarily activated (vehicles with
automatic transmission): the automatic trans-
mission may switch back to the last active auto- matic drive program Eor S. The automatic trans-
mission may shift to a higher gear. This can
reduce the engine's braking effect.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
The braking system can overheat if you leave your foot on the brake pedal while driving.
This increases the braking distance and could
even cause the braking system to fail. There is
a risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Do
not simultaneously depress both the brake
pedal and the accelerator pedal while driving.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If heavy demands are made on the brakes, do
not park the vehicle immediately. Drive on for a
short while. This allows the airflow to cool the
brakes more quickly.
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effectiveness. To do this, brake more firmly from a higher
speed, paying attention to traffic conditions.
This improves the grip of the brakes.
Wet road surfaces 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 a car wash or
after driving through deep water.
You will have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehicle washed, brake firmly while paying attention to
the traffic conditions. This will warm up the
brake discs, thereby drying them more quickly
and protecting them against corrosion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads If you drive on salt-treated roads, a layer of salt
may form on the brake discs and pads. This can increase the braking distance considerably.
R In order to prevent any salt build-up, apply the
brakes occasionally while paying attention to the traffic conditions.
R Carefully depress the brake pedal at the end
of the journey and when starting the next
journey.
R Maintain a much greater distance to the vehi-
cle in front.
New brake pads/linings Brake pads/linings and discs that are either new
or have been replaced only achieve optimum
braking effect after several hundred kilometres
of driving. Compensate for the reduced braking effect by applying greater force to the brake
pedal.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only have brake pads/linings
fitted to your vehicle which have been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which corre-
spond 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 vehicle's
operating safety. Driving tips
171Driving and parking Z

Driving on wet roads
Aquaplaning If water has accumulated to a certain depth on
the road surface, there is a danger of aquaplan- ing occurring, even if:
R you are driving at low speeds
R the tyres have adequate tread depth
For this reason, drive in the following manner in the event of heavy rain or in conditions in which
aquaplaning can occur:
R lower your speed
R avoid tyre ruts
R avoid sudden steering movements
R brake carefully
Driving on flooded roads !
Bear in mind that vehicles travelling in front
or in the opposite direction create waves. This may cause the maximum permissible water
depth to be exceeded.
These notes must be observed under all cir-
cumstances. You could otherwise damage
the engine, the electronics or the transmis-
sion.
If you must drive on stretches of road on which
water has collected, please bear in mind that:
R in the case of standing water, the water level
must be no higher than the lower edge of the
vehicle body
R you should drive no faster than walking pace Winter driving
G
WARNING
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.
This increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface. G
DANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the
vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open a window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
You should drive particularly carefully on slip-
pery road surfaces. Avoid sudden acceleration,
steering and braking manoeuvres. Do not use
cruise control or Distance Pilot DISTRONIC.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Vehicles with manual transmission: shift
to neutral.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission to position N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control by using
corrective steering.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freezing
point do not guarantee that the road surface is
free of ice. The road may still be icy, especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
You should pay special attention to road condi-
tions when temperatures are around freezing
point.
Further information on driving with snow chains
(Y page 337).
Further information on driving with summer
tyres (Y page 336).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation" sec-
tion (Y page 336). 172
Driving tipsDriving and pa
rking

Off-road driving
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you drive on a steep incline at an angle or
turn on a steep incline, the vehicle could slip
sideways, tip and overturn. There is a risk of
an accident.
When driving on an incline, drive into the line of fall (upwards or downwards in a straight
line) and do not turn. G
WARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with hot parts of the exhaust system. There is a risk of fire.
When driving off road or on unpaved roads,
check the vehicle's underside regularly. In
particular, remove parts of plants or other
flammable materials which have become
trapped. In the case of damage, contact a
qualified specialist workshop.
! There is a risk of damage to the vehicle if:
R the vehicle becomes stuck, e.g. on a high
kerb or an unpaved road
R you drive too quickly over an obstacle, e.g.
a kerb, slowing thresholds or a pothole in
the road
R a heavy object strikes the underbody or
parts of the chassis
In situations like this, the body, underbody,
chassis parts, wheels or tyres could be dam-
aged without the damage being visible. Com- ponents damaged in this way can unexpect-
edly fail or, in the case of an accident, no lon-
ger withstand the strain they are designed to withstand.
If the underbody panelling is damaged, com-
bustible materials such as leaves, grass or
twigs can gather between the underbody and
the underbody panelling. If these materials
come into contact with hot parts of the
exhaust system, they can catch fire.
In such situations, have the vehicle checked
and repaired immediately at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. If, on continuing your jour-
ney, you notice that driving safety is impaired, stop the vehicle immediately, paying atten-
tion to road and traffic conditions. In such
cases, consult a qualified specialist work-
shop.
The vehicle is only designed for easily negotiable
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 may lead to a reduction in
braking performance or total brake failure as a
result of increased wear. The braking charac-
teristics will vary depending on the substances
that get into the brakes. Clean the brakes after
driving off-road. If you notice grinding noises or
a reduction in braking performance, have the
brake system checked at a qualified specialist
workshop immediately. Adapt your driving style to the altered braking characteristics.
Driving off-road increases the possibility of dam-
age to the vehicle, which may cause assemblies
or systems to fail. Adapt your driving style to the conditions of the terrain. Drive carefully. Have
vehicle damage rectified immediately at a quali- fied specialist workshop.
Do not shift into transmission position iwhen
driving off-road. You could lose control of the
vehicle if you attempt to brake the vehicle using
the service brake. If the gradient is too steep for your vehicle, back up in reverse gear.
General notes H
Environmental note
Protection of the environment is of primary
importance. Treat nature with respect.
Observe all prohibiting signs.
Read this section before driving your vehicle off- road.
Off-road driving is only possible with the
ON&OFFROAD package.
The following driving systems are specially
adapted for driving over easily negotiable off-
road terrain:
R Off-road program (Y page 192)
R Off-road ABS (Y page 68)
R Off-road 4ETS (Y page 72)
R Off-road ESP ®
(Y page 74)
R DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
(Y page 190) Driving tips
173Driving and parking Z