2017 MERCEDES-BENZ GLA SUV ESP

A Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to
i
while driving. The automatic trans-
mission could otherwise be dam-
aged.
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels.
Releasing the brakes will allow you to
move the vehicle freely, e.g. to push
it or tow it.
If ESP ®
is deactivated or faulty: shift
the transmission to position iif the
vehicle is in danger of skidding, e.g.
on icy roads.
If you switch the engine off with the
transmission in position korh,
the automatic transmission shifts to
i automatically.
! Coasting in neutral
imay
cause damage to the drive train. 7 Drive
The automatic transmission changes
gear automatically. All forward gears
are available. Driving tips
Changing gear The automatic transmission shifts through the
individual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position h. This is determined by:
R the selected drive program
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the road speed
Accelerator pedal position Your driving style influences how the automatic
transmission shifts gear:
R little throttle: early upshifts
R more throttle: late upshifts Holding the vehicle stationary on uphill
gradients G
WARNING
If the clutch overheats, the electronic man-
agement system is automatically deactivated. This interrupts the power transmission. The
vehicle may, for example, roll backwards on
gradients. There is a risk of an accident.
Never hold the vehicle stationary on uphill
gradients by depressing the accelerator.
The clutch may overheat if you hold the vehicle
stationary on uphill gradients by depressing the accelerator pedal. If the clutch overheats, a
warning tone sounds.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): theStop
Stop vehicle vehicle Shift
Shiftto
toP
PLeave
Leave
engine running
engine running display message appears in
the multifunction display. You will only be able to
continue your journey once the clutch has
cooled down and the display message in the
multifunction display has disappeared.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: theTrans. oil
Trans. oil
overheated Drive on with care overheated Drive on with care display
message appears in the multifunction display.
Do not hold the vehicle stationary on uphill gra- dients by depressing the accelerator pedal.
Instead, only ever hold the vehicle stationary on
uphill gradients by:
R depressing the brake pedal
R activating the HOLD function
R applying the electric parking brake
Kickdown Use kickdown for maximum acceleration:
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to a lower
gear depending on the engine speed.
X Ease off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: it is only possible to
use kickdown in the automatic drive programs
and in temporary manual drive program M.
When manual drive program Mis selected per-
manently, kickdown is not possible. 158
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking

Offroad drive program
The Offroad drive program is characterised by
the following:
R the vehicle exhibits optimised driving charac-
teristics for easily negotiable off-road terrain.
Drive program E (Economy)
Drive program Eis characterised by the follow-
ing:
R comfort-oriented engine settings.
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from the
automatic transmission shifting up sooner.
R the vehicle pulls away more gently in forward
and reverse gears unless the accelerator
pedal is depressed fully.
R the vehicle has improved driving stability, e.g.
on slippery road surfaces.
R the automatic transmission shifts up sooner.
This results in the vehicle being driven at
lower engine speeds and the wheels being
less likely to spin.
R gliding mode is activated automatically when
engine-internal conditions are fulfilled and
the accelerator is not depressed. At the same
time the transmission’s clutch opens and the
vehicle rolls freely using its kinetic energy. As a result great distances can be completed
without the engine brake and fuel consump-
tion reduced.
i The availability of gliding mode depends on
various factors, including the following:
R the engine and transmission temperature
R the downhill gradient
R the vehicle speed
R performing regular adaptation functions
When you depress the brake pedal, gliding
mode is deactivated, depending on pedal
pressure.
When you activate cruise control or Distance Pilot DISTRONIC, gliding mode is not availa-
ble.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles Drive program I (Individual)
In drive program I, the following properties of
the drive program can be selected:
R the drive (engine management)
R the transmission management R
the suspension (vehicles with AMG RIDE
CONTROL)
R ESP ®
Information on configuring drive program Iwith
the multimedia system can be found in the Dig-
ital Owner's Manual.
Drive program C (Comfort)Drive program Cis characterised by the follow-
ing:
R the vehicle exhibits comfortable, economical
driving characteristics.
R the vehicle pulls away more gently in forward
and reverse gears unless the accelerator
pedal is depressed fully.
R the vehicle has improved driving stability, e.g.
on slippery road surfaces.
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from the
automatic transmission shifting up sooner.
The vehicle is driven in the low engine speed
range and the wheels are less likely to spin.
R gliding mode is available.
R the ECO start/stop function is available.
Drive program S (Sport) Drive program Sis characterised by the follow-
ing:
R the vehicle exhibits sporty driving character-
istics.
R the automatic transmission shifts up later.
Fuel consumption may be higher as a result of
the later automatic transmission shift points.
R the suspension exhibits stiff springing and
damping settings (vehicles with AIR RIDE
CONTROL).
R gliding mode is not available.
R the ECO start/stop function is not available.
Drive program S+ (Sport Plus)
Drive program S+is characterised by the fol-
lowing:
R the vehicle exhibits particularly sporty driving
characteristics.
R the automatic transmission shifts up later.
R fuel consumption may be higher as a result of
the later automatic transmission shift points.
R the suspension exhibits particularly stiff
springing and damping settings (vehicles with
AIR RIDE CONTROL). 160
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

=
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

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

Driving downhill
R
Drive slowly.
R Do not drive at an angle down steep inclines.
Steer into the line of fall and drive with the
front wheels aligned straight forwards. Oth-
erwise, the vehicle could slip sideways, tip
and overturn.
R Before tackling steep downhill gradients, use
the left-hand steering wheel gearshift paddle
to shift to a lower gear.
R Activate DSR. If this is not sufficient, brake
gently. When doing so, make sure that the
vehicle is facing in the direction of the line of fall.
R Check that the brakes are working normally
after a long downhill stretch.
Off-road ABS is activated when the off-road pro- gram is selected.
At speeds below 30 km/h the front wheels lock
cyclically during braking. The digging-in effect
achieved in the process reduces the stopping
distance during off-road driving. The steerability of the vehicle is considerably reduced if the
wheels lock. Driving systems
Cruise control
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road speed
for you. It brakes automatically in order to avoid
exceeding the set speed. You must select a
lower gear in good time on long and steep down-
hill gradients, especially if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer. For vehicles with automatic
transmission, you need to shift manually using
the steering wheel gearshift paddles. By doing
so, you will make use of the braking effect of the engine. This relieves the load on the brake sys-
tem and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly.
When the engine is running, you can use the
cruise control lever to limit the speed to any
speed between 30 km/h and the maximum
design speed of the vehicle. If the set value of
the permanent limiter is lower, then this value
applies (Y page 180).
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions are appropriate for maintaining a steady speed for a prolonged period. The speed indicated in the speedometer may
differ slightly from the speed stored.
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise con-
trol can neither reduce the risk of an accident
nor override the laws of physics. Cruise control
cannot take into account road, weather or traffic conditions. Cruise control is only an aid. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good time
and for staying in lane.
Do not use cruise control:
R in road and traffic conditions that do not allow
you to maintain a constant speed, e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads.
R on icy or slippery roads. Braking or acceler-
ating can cause the drive wheels to lose trac-
tion and the vehicle could then skid.
R in poor visibility, e.g. due to fog, heavy rain or
snow.
If a new driver takes over, advise the new driver
of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever :
To activate or increase speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To activate at the current speed/last stored
speed
? To activate or reduce speed
A To switch between cruise control and the
variable speed limiter
B To deactivate cruise control
You can operate cruise control and the variable
speed limiter with the cruise control lever. 176
Driving syste
msDriving and parking

The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selected:
R LIM indicator lamp off: cruise control is
selected
R LIM indicator lamp on: variable limiter is
selected
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display for
five seconds.
Selecting cruise control X
To select cruise control: check whether LIM
indicator lamp ;is on or off.
If it is off, cruise control is already selected.
X If it is not, press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow A.
LIM indicator lamp ;in the cruise control
lever goes out. Cruise control is selected.
Activation conditions To activate cruise control, all of the following
activation conditions must be fulfilled:
R the electric parking brake must be released
R you are driving faster than 30 km/h
R ESP ®
must be switched on, but not interven-
ing
R cruise control must be selected
Storing, maintaining and calling up a
speed Storing and maintaining the current
speed
You can store the current speed if you are driv-
ing faster than 30 km/h. X Accelerate the vehicle to the desired speed.
X Briefly press the cruise control lever up :or
down ?.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
Cruise control is activated. The vehicle auto-
matically maintains the speed.
i Cruise control may be unable to maintain
the stored speed on uphill gradients. The
stored speed is resumed when the gradient
evens out. Cruise control maintains the
stored speed on downhill gradients by auto-
matically braking the vehicle. i
Vehicles with manual transmission:
R always drive at adequate, but not exces-
sive, engine speeds.
R change gear in good time.
R if possible, do not change down several
gears at a time.
Storing the current speed or re-calling the last stored speed G
WARNING
If you call up a stored speed and this is dif-
ferent from the current speed, the vehicle
accelerates or brakes. If you do not know
what the stored speed is, the vehicle may
accelerate or brake unexpectedly. There is a
risk of an accident.
Take the traffic conditions into account
before calling up the stored speed. If you do
not know what the stored speed is, store the
desired speed again.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you =.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
The first time cruise control is activated, it
stores the current speed or regulates the
speed of the vehicle to the previously stored
speed.
Setting a speed Bear in mind that it may take a brief moment
until the vehicle has accelerated or braked to
the set speed.
X To adjust the set speed in 10 km/h incre-
ments: briefly press the cruise control lever
up : beyond the pressure point for a higher
speed, or down ;for a lower speed.
or
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed beyond
the pressure point until the desired speed is
set. Press the cruise control lever up :for a
higher speed or down ;for a lower speed.
X To adjust the set speed in 1 km/h incre-
ments:
briefly press the cruise control lever
up : to the pressure point for a higher speed
or down ;for a lower speed.
or
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed to the
pressure point until the desired speed is set. Driving systems
177Driving and parking Z

Press the cruise control lever up
:for a
higher speed or down ;for a lower speed.
i Cruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. For example, if
you accelerate briefly to overtake, cruise con-
trol adjusts the vehicle's speed to the last
speed stored after you have finished overtak-
ing.
Deactivating cruise control There are several ways to deactivate cruise con-
trol:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever forwards
B.
or X Brake.
or X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow A.
The variable limiter is selected. LIM indicator lamp ;in the cruise control lever lights up.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
R the vehicle is secured with the electric park-
ing brake
R you are driving at less than 30 km/h
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R while driving a vehicle with manual transmis-
sion, you shift into neutral or depress the
clutch pedal for longer than six seconds
R on vehicles with manual transmission, you
shift to a gear that is too high, and as a result
the engine speed is too low
R on vehicles with automatic transmission, you
shift to position iwhile driving
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone. You will see the Cruise con‐
Cruise con‐
trol off trol off message in the multifunction display
for approximately five seconds.
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine. Speed limiter
General notes The speed limiter restricts the vehicle speed.
The speed limiter brakes automatically to
quickly regulate the stored speed. You must select a lower gear in good time on
long and steep downhill gradients, especially if
the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer. For vehi-
cles with automatic transmission, you need to
shift manually using the steering wheel gearshiftpaddles. By doing so, you will make use of the
braking effect of the engine. This relieves the
load on the brake system and prevents the
brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly.
You can set a variable or permanent limit speed:
R Variable for a maximum permissible speed,
e.g. in built-up areas
R Permanent for restriction of the maximum
speed for technical reasons, such as when
driving on winter tyres (Y page 180)
i The speed indicated in the speedometer
may differ slightly from the maximum permis- sible speed stored.
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, the speed
limiter can neither reduce the risk of an accident nor override the laws of physics. The limiter can-
not take into account road, weather or traffic
conditions. The limiter is only an aid. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good time
and for staying in lane.
If a new driver takes over, advise the new driver
of the speed stored.
Variable speed limiter General notes
:
To activate or increase speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To activate at the current speed/last stored
speed 178
Driving systemsDriving and parking