2017 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS Eco

Sports Utility Vehicle
G WARNING
Due to the high center of gravity, the vehicle
may start to skid and roll over in the event of
an abrupt steering maneuver 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.
Utility vehicles have a significantly higher roll-
over rate than other types of vehicles.
Failure to operate this vehicle safely may result
in an accident, rollover of the vehicle, and severe
or fatal injury.
In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is signif-
icantly more likely to die than a person wearing
a seat belt.
You and all vehicle occupants should always
wear your seat belts.
Operating safety
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If you do not have the prescribed service/
maintenance work or any required repairs
carried out, this can result in malfunctions or
system failures. There is a risk of an accident.
Always have the prescribed service/mainte-
nance work as well as any required repairs
carried out at a qualified specialist workshop.
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. G WARNING
Modifications to electronic components, their
software as well as wiring can impair their
function and/or the function of other net-
worked components. In particular, systems
relevant to safety could also be affected. As a
result, these may no longer function as inten-
ded and/or jeopardize the operating safety of
the vehicle. There is an increased risk of an
accident and injury.
Never tamper with the wiring as well as elec-
tronic components or their software. You
should have all work to electrical and elec-
tronic equipment carried out at a qualified
specialist workshop.
! There is a risk of damage to the vehicle if: R
the vehicle becomes stuck, e.g. on a high
curb or an unpaved road R
you drive too fast over an obstacle, e.g. a
curb, speed bumps or a pothole in the road R
a heavy object strikes the underbody or
parts of the chassis
In situations like this, the body, the under-
body, chassis parts, wheels or tires could be
damaged without the damage being visible.
Components damaged in this way can unex-
pectedly fail or, in the case of an accident, no
longer withstand the strain they are designed
to.
If the underbody paneling is damaged, com-
bustible materials such as leaves, grass or
twigs can gather between the underbody and
the underbody paneling. If these materials
come in 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,
pull over and stop the vehicle immediately,
paying attention to road and traffic condi-
tions. In such cases, consult a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Declarations of conformity
USA: "The wireless devices of this vehicle com-
ply with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is
subject to the two following two conditions: 1)28
Introduction

These devices may not cause harmful interfer-
ence, and 2) These devices must accept any
interference received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation. Changes
or modifications not expressly approved by the
party responsible for compliance could void the
user’s authority to operate the equipment."
Canada: "The wireless devices of this vehicle
comply with Industry Canada license-exempt
RSS standard(s). Operation is subject to the fol-
lowing two conditions: (1) These devices may
not cause interference, and (2) These devices
must accept any interference, including inter-
ference that may cause undesired operation of
the device."
Diagnostics connection The diagnostics connection is only intended for
the connection of diagnostic equipment at a
qualified specialist workshop.
G WARNING
If you connect equipment to a diagnostics
connection in the vehicle, it may affect the
operation of vehicle systems. As a result, the
operating safety of the vehicle could be affec-
ted. There is a risk of an accident.
Only connect equipment to a diagnostics con-
nection in the vehicle, which is approved for
your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz.
G WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell can restrict the
pedal travel or obstruct a depressed pedal.
The operating and road safety of the vehicle is
jeopardized. There is a risk of an accident.
Make sure that all objects in the vehicle are
stowed correctly, and that they cannot enter
the driver's footwell. Install the floormats
securely and as specified in order to ensure
sufficient clearance for the pedals. Do not use
loose floormats and do not place floormats on
top of one another.
! If the engine is switched off and equipment
on the diagnostics connection is used, the
starter battery may discharge.
Connecting equipment to the diagnostics con-
nection can lead to emissions monitoring infor- mation being reset, for example. This may lead
to the vehicle failing to meet the requirements of
the next emissions test during the main inspec-
tion.
Qualified specialist workshop An authorized Mercedes-Benz Center is a quali-
fied specialist workshop. It has the necessary
specialist knowledge, tools and qualifications to
correctly carry out the work required on your
vehicle. This is especially the case for work rel-
evant to safety.
Observe the notes in the Maintenance Booklet.
Always have the following work carried out at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center: R
work relevant to safety R
service and maintenance work R
repair work R
alterations, installation work and modifica-
tions R
work on electronic components
Correct use If you remove any warning stickers, you or oth-
ers could fail to recognize certain dangers.
Leave warning stickers in position.
Observe the following information when driving
your vehicle: R
the safety notes in this manual R
the vehicle technical data R
traffic rules and regulations R
laws and safety standards pertaining to motor
vehicles
Problems with your vehicle If you should experience a problem with your
vehicle, particularly one that you believe may
affect its safe operation, we urge you to contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center immedi-
ately to have the problem diagnosed and recti-
fied. If the problem is not resolved to your sat-
isfaction, please discuss the problem again with
the Mercedes-Benz Center or, if necessary, con-
tact us at one of the following addresses.
In the USA
Customer Assistance Center Introduction 29
Z

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
3 Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
In Canada
Customer Relations Department
Mercedes-Benz Canada, Inc.
98 Vanderhoof Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M4G 4C9
Reporting safety defects USA only:
The following text is reproduced as required of
all manufacturers under Title 49, Code of U.S.
Federal Regulations, Part 575 pursuant to the
National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of
1966.
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect
which could cause a crash or could cause injury
or death, you should immediately inform the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) in addition to notifying Mercedes-Benz
USA, LLC.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may
open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety
defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order
a recall and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA
cannot become involved in individual problems
between you, your dealer, or Mercedes-Benz
USA, LLC.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle
Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236
(TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go to http://
www.safercar.gov ; or write to: Administrator,
NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington,
DC 20590.
You can also obtain other information about
motor vehicle safety from
http://www.safercar.gov
Limited Warranty
! Follow the instructions in this manual about
the proper operation of your vehicle as well as
about possible vehicle damage. Damage to
your vehicle that arises from culpable contra-
ventions against these instructions is not cov-
ered either by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty or by the New or Used-Vehicle War-
ranty. QR codes for the rescue card The QR codes are secured in the fuel filler flap
and on the opposite side on the B-pillar. In the
event of an accident, rescue services can use
the QR code to quickly find the appropriate res-
cue card for your vehicle. The current rescue
card contains the most important information
about your vehicle in a compact form, e.g. the
routing of the electric cables.
You can find more information under http://
portal.aftersales.i.daimler.com/public/
content/asportal/en/communication/
informationen_fuer/QRCode.html.
Data stored in the vehicle
Data storage A wide range of electronic components in your
vehicle contain data memories.
These data memories temporarily or perma-
nently store technical information about: R
the vehicle's operating state R
incidents R
malfunctions
In general, this technical information docu-
ments the state of a component, a module, a
system or the surroundings.
These include, for example: R
operating conditions of system components,
e.g. fluid levels R
the vehicle's status messages and those of its
individual components, e.g. number of wheel
revolutions/speed, deceleration in move-
ment, lateral acceleration, accelerator pedal
position R
malfunctions and defects in important system
components, e.g. lights, brakes R
vehicle reactions and operating conditions in
special driving situations, e.g. air bag deploy-
ment, intervention of stability control sys-
tems R
ambient conditions, e.g. outside temperature30
Introduction

This data is of an exclusively technical nature
and can be used to: R
assist in recognizing and rectifying malfunc-
tions and defects R
analyze vehicle functions, e.g. after an acci-
dent R
optimize vehicle functions
The data cannot be used to trace the vehicle's
movements.
When your vehicle is serviced, technical infor-
mation can be read from the event data memory
and malfunction data memory.
Services include, for example: R
repair services R
service processes R
warranties R
quality assurance
The vehicle is read out by employees of the ser-
vice network (including the manufacturer) using
special diagnostic testers. More detailed infor-
mation is obtained from it, if required.
After a malfunction has been rectified, the infor-
mation is deleted from the malfunction memory
or is continually overwritten.
When operating the vehicle, situations are con-
ceivable in which this technical data, in connec-
tion with other information (if necessary, under
consultation with an authorized expert), could
be traced to a person.
Examples include: R
accident reports R
damage to the vehicle R
witness statements
Further additional functions that have been con-
tractually agreed upon with the customer allow
certain vehicle data to be conveyed by the vehi-
cle as well. The additional functions include, for
example, vehicle location in case of an emer-
gency.
COMAND/mbrace (Canada: TELEAID)
If the vehicle is equipped with COMAND or
mbrace, additional data about the vehicle's
operation, the use of the vehicle in certain sit-
uations, and the location of the vehicle may be
compiled through COMAND or the mbrace sys-
tem.
For additional information please refer to the
COMAND User Manual or the Digital Operator's Manual and/or the mbrace Terms and Condi-
tions.
COMAND/mbrace If the vehicle is equipped with COMAND or
mbrace, additional data about the vehicle's
operation, the use of the vehicle in certain sit-
uations, and the location of the vehicle may be
compiled through COMAND or the mbrace sys-
tem.
For additional information please refer to the
COMAND User Manual or the Digital Operator's
Manual and/or the mbrace Terms and Condi-
tions.
Event data recorders This vehicle is equipped with an event data
recorder (EDR). This vehicle is equipped with an
event data recorder (EDR). The main purpose of
an EDR is to record, in certain crash or near
crash-like situations, such as an air bag deploy-
ment or hitting a road obstacle, data that will
assist in understanding how a vehicle's systems
performed. The EDR is designed to record data
related to vehicle dynamics and safety systems
for a short period of time, typically 30 seconds
or less.
The EDR in this vehicle is designed to record
such data as: R
How various systems in your vehicle were
operating R
Whether or not the driver and passenger
safety belts were buckled/fastened R
How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the
accelerator and/or brake pedal and R
How fast the vehicle was traveling.
These data can help provide a better under-
standing of the circumstances in which crashes
and injuries occur. NOTE: EDR data are recorded
by your vehicle only if a non-trivial crash situa-
tion occurs; no data are recorded by the EDR
under normal driving conditions and no personal
data (e.g. name, gender, age and crash location)
are recorded. However, other parties, such as
law enforcement could combine the EDR data
with the type of personally identifying data rou-
tinely acquired during a crash investigation.
Access to the vehicle and/or the EDR is needed
to read data that is recorded by an EDR, and Introduction 31
Z

special equipment is required. In addition to the
vehicle manufacturer, other parties that have
the special equipment, such as law enforce-
ment, can read the information by accessing the
vehicle or the EDR.
EDR data may be used in civil and criminal mat-
ters as a tool in accident reconstruction, acci-
dent claims and vehicle safety. Since the Crash
Data Retrieval CDR tool that is used to extract
data from the EDR is commercially available,
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC ("MBUSA") expressly
disclaims any and all liability arising from the
extraction of this information by unauthorized
Mercedes-Benz personnel.
MBUSA will not share EDR data with others
without the consent of the vehicle owners or, if
the vehicle is leased, without the consent of the
lessee. Exceptions to this representation
include responses to subpoenas by law enforce-
ment; by federal, state or local government; in
connection with or arising out of litigation involv-
ing MBUSA or its subsidiaries and affiliates; or,
as required by law.
Warning: The EDR is a component of the
Restraint System Module. Tampering with, alter-
ing, modifying or removing the EDR component
may result in a malfunction of the Restraint Sys-
tem Module and other systems.
State laws or regulations regarding EDRs that
conflict with federal regulation are pre-empted.
This means that in the event of such conflict, the
federal regulation governs. As of February 2013,
13 states have enacted laws relating to EDRs.
Information on copyright
General information Information on license for free and open-source
software used in your vehicle and its electronic
components is available on the following web-
site:
http://www.mercedes-benz.com/opensource32
Introduction

Panic alarm X
To activate: press 3 button C for at least
one second.
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is armed. X
To deactivate: press 3 button C again.
or X
Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
or X
Press the KEYLESS-GO Start/Stop button.
The KEYLESS-GO key must be in the vehicle.
Occupant safety
Introduction to the restraint system The restraint system can reduce the risk of vehi-
cle occupants coming into contact with parts of
the vehicle's interior in the event of an accident.
The restraint system can also reduce the forces
to which vehicle occupants are subjected during
an accident.
The restraint system comprises: R
seat belt system R
air bags R
child restraint system R
child seat securing systems
The components of the restraint system work in
conjunction with each other. They can only
deploy their protective function if, at all times, all
vehicle occupants: R
have fastened their seat belts correctly
( Y
page 44) R
have adjusted their seat and head restraint
properly ( Y
page 94). As the driver, you also have to make sure that
the steering wheel is adjusted correctly.
Observe the information relating to the correct
driver's seat position ( Y
page 94).
You also have to make sure that an air bag can
inflate properly if deployed ( Y
page 46).
An air bag supplements a correctly worn seat
belt. As an additional safety device, the air bag
increases the level of protection for vehicle
occupants in the event of an accident. For exam-
ple, if, in the event of an accident, the protection
offered by the seat belt is sufficient, the air bags
are not deployed. When an accident occurs, only
the air bags that increase protection in that par-
ticular accident situation are deployed. How-
ever, seat belts and air bags generally do not
protect against objects penetrating the vehicle
from the outside.
Information on restraint system operation can
be found under "Triggering of the Emergency
Tensioning Devices and air bags" ( Y
page 53).
For information on children traveling with you in
the vehicle and on child restraint systems, see
"Children in the vehicle" ( Y
page 57).
Important safety notes
G WARNING
Modifications to the restraint system may
cause it to no longer work as intended. The
restraint system may then not perform its
intended protective function and may fail in an
accident or trigger unexpectedly, for example.
This poses an increased risk of injury or even
fatal injury.
Never modify parts of the restraint system.
Never tamper with the wiring, the electronic
components or their software.
If it is necessary to modify components of the
restraint system to accommodate a person
with disabilities, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for details. USA only:
for further information contact our Customer
Assistance Center at 1-800-FOR-MERCedes
(1 ‑ 800 ‑ 367 ‑ 6372).
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only use
driving aids which have been approved specifi-
cally for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz.Occupant safety 41
Safety Z

Restraint system warning lamp The functions of the restraint system are
checked after the ignition is switched on and at
regular intervals while the engine is running.
Therefore, malfunctions can be detected in
good time.
The u restraint system warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up when the ignition is
switched on. It goes out no later than a few sec-
onds after the vehicle is started. The compo-
nents of the restraint system are in operational
readiness.
A malfunction has occurred if the u restraint
system warning lamp: R
does not light up after the ignition is switched
on R
does not go out after a few seconds with the
engine running R
lights up again while the engine is running
G WARNING
If the restraint system is malfunctioning,
restraint system components may be trig-
gered unintentionally or may not deploy as
intended during an accident. This can affect
for example the Emergency Tensioning
Device or the air bag. This poses an increased
risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Have the restraint system checked and
repaired in a qualified specialist workshop as
soon as possible.
PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamp
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp C and
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp D are
part of the Occupant Classification System
(OCS). The indicator lamps display the status of the
front-passenger front air bag. R
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON lights up for 60 sec-
onds, subsequently both indicator lamps are
off (PASSENGER AIR BAG ON and OFF): the
front-passenger front air bag is able to deploy
in the event of an accident. R
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF lights up: the front-
passenger front air bag is deactivated. It will
then not be deployed in the event of an acci-
dent.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp is
off, only the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp shows the status of the front-passenger
front air bag. The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp may be lit continuously or be off.
Depending on the person in the front-passenger
seat, the front-passenger front air bag must
either be deactivated or enabled; see the fol-
lowing points. You must make sure of this both
before and during a journey. R
Children in a child restraint system:
whether the front-passenger front air bag is
enabled or deactivated depends on the instal-
led child restraint system, and the age and
size of the child. Therefore, be sure to observe
the notes on the "Occupant Classification
System (OCS)" ( Y
page 48) and on "Chil-
dren in the vehicle" ( Y
page 57). There you
w ill also find instructions on rearward and
forward-facing child restraint systems on the
front-passenger seat. R
All other persons: depending on the classi-
fication of the person in the front-passenger
seat, the front-passenger front air bag is ena-
bled or deactivated ( Y
page 48). Be sure to
observe the notes on "Seat
belts“ ( Y
page 42) and "Air bags"
( Y
page 46). There you can also find infor-
mation on the correct seat position.
Seat belts
Introduction
Seat belts are the most effective means of
restricting the movement of vehicle occupants
in the event of an accident or the vehicle rolling
over. This reduces the risk of vehicle occupants
coming into contact with parts of the vehicle
interior or being ejected from the vehicle. Fur-
thermore, the seat belt helps to keep the vehicle42
Occupant safety
Safety

occupant in the best position in relation to the
air bag.
The seat belt system comprises: R
Seat belts R
Emergency Tensioning Devices for the front
seat belts and the outer seat belts in the sec-
ond row of seats as well as the seat belts in
the third row R
Seat belt force limiters for the front seat belts
and the outer seat belts in the second row of
seats as well as the seat belts in the third row
If the seat belt is pulled out of the belt outlet
quickly or with a jerky movement, the belt
retractor locks. The belt strap cannot be extrac-
ted any further.
The Emergency Tensioning Device tightens the
seat belt in an accident, pulling the belt close
against the body. However it does not pull the
vehicle occupant back in the direction of the
backrest.
The Emergency Tensioning Device does not cor-
rect an incorrect seat position or the routing of
an incorrectly fastened seat belt.
When triggered, a seat belt force limiter helps to
reduce the force exerted by the seat belt on the
vehicle occupant.
The seat belt force limiters for the front seats are
synchronized with the front air bags, which
absorb part of the deceleration force. This can
reduce the force exerted on the vehicle occu-
pants during an accident.
! If the front-passenger seat is unoccupied,
do not insert the belt tongue into the buckle of
the front-passenger seat. This may otherwise
lead to the triggering of the Emergency Ten-
sioning Device in the event of an accident,
which will then need to be replaced.
Important safety notes The use of seat belts and child restraint systems
is required by law in: R
all 50 states R
the U.S. territories R
the District of Columbia R
all Canadian provinces
Even where this is not required by law, all vehicle
occupants should correctly fasten their seat
belts before starting the journey. G WARNING
If the seat belt is not worn correctly, it cannot
perform its intended protective function. An
incorrectly fastened seat belt can also cause
injuries, for example, in the event of an acci-
dent or when braking or changing direction
abruptly. This poses an increased risk of injury
or even fatal injury.
Always ensure that all vehicle occupants have
their seat belts fastened correctly and are sit-
ting properly.
G WARNING
The seat belt does not offer the intended level
of protection if you have not moved the back-
rest to an almost vertical position. When brak-
ing or in the event of an accident, you could
slide underneath the seat belt and sustain
abdomen or neck injuries, for example. This
poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal
injury.
Adjust the seat properly before beginning
your journey. Always ensure that the backrest
is in an almost vertical position and that the
shoulder section of your seat belt is routed
across the center of your shoulder.
G WARNING
Persons less than 5 ft (1.50 m) tall cannot
wear the seat belt correctly without an addi-
tional and suitable restraint system. If the
seat belt is not worn correctly, it cannot per-
form its intended protective function. An
incorrectly fastened seat belt can also cause
injuries, for example, in the event of an acci-
dent or when braking or changing direction
abruptly. This poses an increased risk of injury
or even fatal injury.
For this reason, always secure persons under
5 ft (1.50 m) tall in suitable additional restraint
systems.
If a child younger than twelve years old and
under 5 ft (1.50 m) in height is traveling in the
vehicle: R
always secure the child in a child restraint
system suitable for this Mercedes-Benz vehi-Occupant safety 43
Safety Z