2017 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS Owners Manual

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and P Solutions
There is interference from a powerful source of radio waves. X
Unlock ( Y
page 81) or lock ( Y
page 81) the vehicle using the
mechanical key.
KEYLESS-GO is malfunctioning. X
Lock/unlock the vehicle using the remote control function of the
SmartKey. X
Have the vehicle and SmartKey checked at a qualified specialist
workshop.
If the vehicle can also not be locked/unlocked using the remote con-
trol function: X
Unlock ( Y
page 81) or lock ( Y
page 81) the vehicle using the
mechanical key. X
Have the vehicle and SmartKey checked at a qualified specialist
workshop.
The engine cannot be
started using the Smart-
Key. The on-board voltage is too low. X
Switch off non-essential consumers, e.g. seat heating or interior
lighting, and try to start the engine again.
If this does not work: X
Check the starter battery and charge it if necessary ( Y
page 338).
or X
Jump-start the vehicle ( Y
page 338).
or X
Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
The engine cannot be
started using the Start/
Stop button. The Smart-
Key is in the vehicle. The vehicle is locked. X
Unlock the vehicle and try to start the vehicle again.
The SmartKey battery is discharged or nearly discharged. X
Check the SmartKey battery ( Y
page 77) and replace it if necessary
( Y
page 77).
If this does not work: X
Start your vehicle with the SmartKey in the ignition lock.
There is interference from a powerful source of radio waves. X
Start your vehicle with the SmartKey in the ignition lock.
You have lost a Smart-
Key. X
Have the SmartKey deactivated at a qualified specialist workshop. X
Report the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers. X
If necessary, have the locks changed as well.
You have lost the
mechanical key. X
Report the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers. X
If necessary, have the locks changed as well. SmartKey 79
Opening and closing Z

Door s
Important safet y notes
G WARNING
If children are lef t unsupervised in th e vehicle,
they could: R
ope n th e doors , thus endangerin g other
people or road users. R
get out and disrup t traffic .R
operat e th e vehicle' s equipment.
Additionally, children could set th e vehicle in
motion if, fo r example, they:R
release th e parking brake .R
shiftin g th e automatic transmissio n out of
par k position PR
Start th e engine.
There is a ris k of an acciden t and injury.
Whe n leavin g th e vehicle, always take th e
SmartKey wit h you and loc k th e vehicle. Never
leav e children or animals unattended in th e
vehicle. Always keep th e SmartKey out of
reach of children .
Unlockin g an d opening doors from
th e insideYou can ope n a doo r from insid e th e vehicle
eve n if it has bee n locked. You can only ope n th e
rea r doors from insid e th e vehicle if they are no t
secure d by th e child-proof locks ( Y
page 62).
If th e vehicle has previously bee n locke d from
th e outside, opening a doo r from th e insid e will
trigger th e anti-thef t alar m system. Switc h of f
th e alar m ( Y
page 72). X
Front door: pull doo r handle D .
If th e doo r is locked, locking knob C pop s up.
The doo r is unlocke d and can be opened.X
Rea r door: pull doo r handle D .
If th e doo r is locked, locking knob C pop s up
and th e doo r unlocks .X
Pull doo r handle D again .
The doo r can be opened.
Centrally locking an d unlocking th e
vehicle from th e insideYou can centrall y loc k or unloc k th e vehicle from
th e inside. The buttons are located on bot h fron t
doors .
X
To unlock : press butto n C .X
To lock : press butto n D .
If th e front-passenger doo r is closed, th e vehi-
cl e locks .
Meanwhile, th e fue l filler flap will no t be locke d
or unlocked.
You canno t unloc k th e vehicle centrall y from th e
insid e if th e vehicle has bee n locke d from th e
outside.
You can ope n a fron t doo r from insid e th e vehi-
cl e eve n if it has bee n locked.
If a locke d doo r is opene d from th e inside, th e
previous unloc k status of th e vehicle will be
take n into consideration if: R
th e vehicle was locke d usin g th e locking but -
to n fo r th e central locking , orR
if th e vehicle was locke d automatically
The vehicle will be full y unlocke d if it had previ-
ousl y bee n full y unlocked. If only th e driver's
doo r had bee n previously unlocked, only th e
doo r whic h has bee n opene d from th e insid e is
unlocked.80
Doors
Opening and closing

Aut oma tic locking featu reX
To deactivate: press and hold butto n C for
about fiv e seconds until a tone sounds.X
To activate: press and hold butto n D for
about fiv e seconds until a tone sounds.
If you press on e of th e two buttons and do no t
hear a tone , th e relevan t setting has already
been selected.
The vehicl e is locke d automatically when th e
ignition is switched on and th e wheels are turn-
ing .
You could therefor e be locke d out if:R
th e vehicl e is bein g pushed.R
th e vehicl e is bein g towed.R
th e vehicl e is on a roller dynamometer.
You can also switch th e automatic locking func-
tion on and off usin g th e on-board computer
( Y
page 239).
Power closing Powe r closin g pulls th e door s and tailgat e int o
their locks automatically eve n if they are no t
completely closed. X
To power close a door : push th e door int o
th e loc k up to th e first deten t position .
Powe r closin g will pull th e door fully closed.X
To power close th e tailgate: lightl y press
th e tailgat e downwards.
Powe r closin g will pull th e tailgat e fully
closed. Unlocking/locking the driver's door
using the mechanical key
i If you want to centrally loc k th e vehicl e usin g
th e mechanical key, begi n by pressing th e
locking butto n for th e interior locking mech-
anism while th e driver's door is open . The n
loc k th e driver's door usin g th e mechanical
key.
X
Inser t th e mechanical ke y int o th e loc k of th e
driver's door as far as it will go. X
To unlock: tur n th e mechanical ke y counter-
clockwise to position G .X
To lock: tur n th e mechanical ke y clockwise as
far as it will go to position G .
If you use th e mechanical ke y to unloc k and
open th e driver's door , th e anti-thef t alarm sys-
te m will be triggered . Switc h off th e alarm
( Y
page 72).
If you loc k th e vehicl e as described above, th e
fuel filler flap is no t locked. The anti-thef t alarm
system is no t armed.
Cargo compa rt ment
Import ant safety notes
G WARNIN G
Combustion engines emi t poisonous exhaust
gase s suc h as carbon monoxide. If th e tailgat e
is open when th e engin e is running, particu-
larly if th e vehicl e is moving , exhaust fumes
could ente r th e passenger compartment.
There is a ris k of poisoning .
Turn off th e engin e before opening th e tail-
gate. Never drive wit h th e tailgat e open .Cargo compartment 81
Opening and closing Z

G WARNING
If objects, luggage or loads are not secured or
not secured sufficiently, they could slip, tip
over or be flung around and thereby hit vehicle
occupants. There is a risk of injury, particu-
larly in the event of sudden braking or a sud-
den change in direction.
Always store objects so that they cannot be
flung around. Secure objects, luggage or
loads against slipping or tipping before the
journey.
! The tailgate swings upwards and to the rear
when opened. Therefore, make sure that
there is sufficient clearance above and behind
the tailgate.
The opening dimensions of the tailgate can be
found in the "Vehicle data" section
( Y
page 384).
You should preferably place luggage or loads in
the cargo compartment. Observe the loading
guidelines ( Y
page 294).
Do not leave the SmartKey in the cargo com-
partment. You could otherwise lock yourself
out.
You can: R
close the tailgate manually from outside R
open and close the tailgate automatically
from outside R
open and close the tailgate automatically
from inside R
limit the opening angle of the tailgate R
unlock the tailgate from inside with the emer-
gency release
Tailgate reversing feature On vehicles with the tailgate remote closing fea-
ture, the tailgate is equipped with automatic
obstacle recognition with a reversing feature. If
a solid object blocks or restricts the tailgate
when automatically opening or closing, this pro-
cedure is stopped. If the tailgate is stopped dur-
ing the closing procedure, it will open again
automatically. The automatic obstacle recogni-
tion with reversing feature is only an aid. It is not
a substitute for your attentiveness when open-
ing and closing the tailgate. G WARNING
The reversing feature does not respond: R
to soft, light and thin objects, e.g. fingers R
over the last

Closing X
Pull the tailgate down using recess C .X
Allow the tailgate to drop into the lock. X
Lock the vehicle if necessary with the 7
button on the SmartKey or with KEYLESS-GO.
i If a KEYLESS-GO key is detected in the cargo
compartment, the tailgate will not lock.
Opening/closing automatically from
outside
Important safety notes
G WARNING
Parts of the body could become trapped dur-
ing automatic closing of the tailgate. More-
over, people, e.g. children, may be standing in
the closing area or may enter the closing area
during the closing process. There is a risk of
injury.
Make sure that nobody is in the vicinity of the
closing area during the closing process.
Use one of the following options to stop the
closing process: R
press the T button on the SmartKey.R
pull or press the remote operating switch
on the driver's door. R
press the closing or locking button on the
tailgate. R
pull the handle on the tailgate
G WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. If the tailgate is open when the engine is running, particu-
larly if the vehicle is moving, exhaust fumes
could enter the passenger compartment.
There is a risk of poisoning.
Turn off the engine before opening the tail-
gate. Never drive with the tailgate open.
! The tailgate swings upwards and to the rear
when opened. Therefore, make sure that
there is sufficient clearance above and behind
the tailgate.
Two warning tones sound while the tailgate is
opening or closing.
The opening dimensions of the tailgate can be
found in the "Vehicle data" section
( Y
page 384).
i Notes on the automatic reversing feature for
the tailgate ( Y
page 82).
Opening the tailgate automatically You can open the tailgate automatically with the
SmartKey or the handle in the tailgate. X
Press and hold the T button on the Smart-
Key until the tailgate opens.
or X
When the tailgate is unlocked, pull the tailgate
handle and let it go again immediately.
or X
With the tailgate stopped in an intermediate
position, pull the tailgate upwards.
You can release the tailgate as soon as the
tailgate starts to open.
Closing the tailgate automatically Cargo compartment 83
Opening and closing Z

X
To close: press closing button C in the tail-
gate.
or X
Press and hold the T button on the Smart-
Key until the tailgate closes.
You can release the button as soon as the
tailgate starts to close.
or X
Pull the tailgate downwards slightly.
You can release the tailgate as soon as the
tailgate starts to close.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: you can simultane-
ously close and lock the tailgate. X
Press locking button D in the tailgate.
If a KEYLESS-GO key is detected outside the
vehicle, the tailgate closes and locks. All the
doors must be shut and the SmartKey located
in the vicinity of the tailgate.
i The tailgate cannot be opened and closed
with the SmartKey if there is a SmartKey in the
ignition.
If the tailgate touches an object while closing,
the closing procedure is interrupted and the
tailgate reopens.
i If a KEYLESS-GO key is detected in the cargo
compartment, the tailgate will not lock.
Opening/closing automatically from
inside
Important safety notes
G WARNING
Parts of the body could become trapped dur-
ing automatic closing of the tailgate. In addi-
tion, people may be standing in the closing
area or may enter the closing area, e.g. chil-
dren, during the closing procedure. There is a
risk of injury.
Make sure that nobody is in the vicinity of the
closing area during the closing process.
Release the remote operating switch imme-
diately if somebody becomes trapped. To re-
open the tailgate pull on the remote operating
switch. G WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. If the tailgate
is open when the engine is running, particu-
larly if the vehicle is moving, exhaust fumes
could enter the passenger compartment.
There is a risk of poisoning.
Turn off the engine before opening the tail-
gate. Never drive with the tailgate open.
! The tailgate swings upwards and to the rear
when opened. Therefore, make sure that
there is sufficient clearance above and behind
the tailgate.
Two warning tones sound while the tailgate is
opening or closing.
The opening dimensions of the tailgate can be
found in the "Vehicle data" section
( Y
page 384).
i Notes on the automatic reversing feature for
the tailgate ( Y
page 82).
Opening and closing
X
To open: pull remote operating switch C for
the tailgate until the tailgate opens. X
To close: turn the SmartKey to position 1 or 2
in the ignition lock. X
Press remote operating switch for tailgate C
until the tailgate is completely closed.
You can open and close the tailgate from the
driver's seat when the vehicle is stationary and
unlocked.84
Cargo compartment
Opening and closing

Limiting the opening angle of the tail-
gate
General notes
! Make sure there is sufficient clearance to
open the tailgate fully when setting the open-
ing angle. The tailgate could otherwise be
damaged. Ideally, set the opening angle out-
side.
Activating You can limit the opening angle of the tailgate.
This is possible in the top half of its opening
range, up to approximately 4 in (10 cm) before
the stop. X
To open the tailgate: pull the handle on the
tailgate. X
To stop the opening procedure at the
desired position: press the closing button in
the tailgate or pull the handle on the outside
of the tailgate again. X
To save the position: press and hold the
closing button in the tailgate until two short
tones sound.
The opening angle limiter is activated. The
tailgate will now stop in the stored position
when opening.
Deactivating X
Press and hold the closing button in the tail-
gate until you hear a short tone.
Tailgate emergency release
General notes
! The tailgate swings upwards and to the rear
when opened. Therefore, make sure that
there is sufficient clearance above and behind
the tailgate.
The opening dimensions of the tailgate can be
found in the "Vehicle data" section
( Y
page 384).
If the tailgate can no longer be unlocked: R
using the SmartKey, or R
using the remote operating switch in the door
control panel:
Use the emergency release. Opening X
Take mechanical key D out of the SmartKey
( Y
page 76). X
Insert mechanical key D or a suitable tool,
e.g. a thin screwdriver, into opening C in the
paneling and push it in.
The tailgate is released. X
Open the tailgate. X
Insert mechanical key D into the SmartKey
( Y
page 76).
Side windows
Important safety notes
G WARNING
While opening the side windows, body parts
could become trapped between the side win-
dow and the door frame as the side window
moves. There is a risk of injury.
Make sure that nobody touches the side win-
dow during the opening procedure. If some-
body becomes trapped, release the switch or
pull the switch to close the side window again.
G WARNING
While closing the side windows, body parts in
the closing area could become trapped. There
is a risk of injury.
When closing make sure that no parts of the
body are in the closing area. If somebody
becomes trapped, release the switch or press
the switch to open the side window again. Side windows 85
Opening and closing Z

G WARNING
If children operate the side windows they
could become trapped, particularly if they are
left unsupervised. There is a risk of injury.
Activate the override feature for the rear side
windows. When leaving the vehicle, always
take the SmartKey with you and lock the vehi-
cle. Never leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle.
Side window reversing feature The side windows are equipped with an auto-
matic reversing feature. If a solid object blocks
or restricts a side window during the closing
process, the side window opens again automat-
ically. However, the automatic reversing feature
is only an aid and does not relieve you of the
responsibility of paying attention when closing a
side window.
G WARNING
The reversing feature does not react: R
to soft, light and thin objects, e.g. small fin-
gers R
over the last 1/6 in(4 mm) of the closing
movement R
during resetting R
when closing the side window again man-
ually immediately after automatic reversing
This means that the reversing feature cannot
prevent someone being trapped in these sit-
uations. There is a risk of injury.
Make sure that no body parts are in close
proximity during the closing procedure. If
someone becomes trapped, press the switch
to open the side window again.
Opening and closing the side win-
dows
The switches for all side windows are located on
the driver's door. There is also a switch on each
door for the corresponding side window.
The switches on the driver's door take prece-
dence. C
Front left D
Front right