2017 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS change time

Comfort drive program The Comfort drive program has the following
characteristics: R
comfort-oriented engine and transmission
settings. R
optimal fuel consumption resulting from the
automatic transmission shifting up sooner. R
the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears, unless the accel-
erator pedal is depressed fully. R
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being driven
at lower engine speeds and the wheels being
less likely to spin.
Sport drive program The Sport drive program has the following char-
acteristics: R
sporty engine and transmission settings. R
the automatic transmission shifting up later.
the fuel consumption possibly being higher as
a result of the later automatic transmission
shift points. R
the suspension exhibits sporty damping (vehi-
cles with AIRMATIC).
Drive program Sport Plus (Mercedes-
AMG vehicles) The Sport Plus drive program has the following
characteristics: R
the vehicle exhibits particularly sporty driving
characteristics. R
the vehicle pulling away in first gear. R
the automatic transmission shifting up later.
the fuel consumption possibly being higher as
a result of the later automatic transmission
shift points. R
the suspension exhibits particularly firm
springing and damping settings (vehicles with
AIRMATIC). R
the ECO start/stop function is deactivated, it
can, however, be activated again using the
ECO button ( Y
page 143). Individual drive program In the Individual drive program, the following
properties of the drive program can be selected: R
the drive (engine and transmission manage-
ment) R
the transmission R
the suspension R
all vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehicles):
the steering R
all vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehicles):
availability of the ECO start/stop function
To select the gears in the Individual drive pro-
gram permanently using the steering wheel pad-
dle shifters, select the permanent manual gear-
shift program.
Information about configuring the Individual
drive program with the multimedia system can
be found in the Digital Operator's Manual.
Manual gear shifting
General notes You can change gear yourself using the steering
wheel paddle shifters. The transmission must be
in position D .
Depending on which steering wheel paddle
shifter is pulled, the automatic transmission
immediately shifts into the next gear down or
up, if permitted.
To use manual shifting, you have two options: R
temporary setting R
permanent setting
If you activate manual gearshifting, the multi-
function display will show the current gear
instead of transmission position D .
If manual gearshifting is deactivated, the gears
will be selected automatically.150
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

Temporary setting X
To activate: shift the DIRECT SELECT lever to
position D .X
Pull steering wheel paddle shifter C or D .
Temporary setting will be active for a certain
amount of time. Under certain conditions the
minimum amount of time is extended, e.g. in the
case of lateral acceleration, during an overrun
phase or when driving on steep terrain. X
To deactivate: pull steering wheel paddle
shifter D and hold it in place.
or X
Use the DIRECT SELECT lever to switch the
transmission position.
or X
Use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
change the drive program.
Permanent setting (all vehicles except
Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
X
To activate: shift the DIRECT SELECT lever to
position D .X
Press button C . X
To deactivate: press button C .
or X
Use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
change the drive program.
Permanent setting (Mercedes-AMG
vehicles) X
To activate: shift the DIRECT SELECT lever to
position D . X
Press button C .
Indicator lamp D lights up.X
To deactivate: press button C .
or X
Use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
switch to the Individual drive program.
Indicator lamp D goes out.
Shifting gears
! Mercedes-AMG vehicles: the automatic
transmission does not shift up automatically
even when the engine limiting speed for the
current gear is reached. When the engine lim-
iting speed is reached, the fuel supply is cut to
prevent the engine from overrevving. Always
make sure that the engine speed does not
reach the red area of the tachometer. There is
otherwise a risk of engine damage.Automatic transmission 151
Driving an d parking Z

Drivin g downhil lR
Drive slowly. R
Do no t drive at an angle down steep inclines.
Steer into th e lin e of fal l and drive wit h th e
fron t wheels aligned straight . Otherwise , th e
vehicle could slip sideways , ti p and rollover.R
Shift to a lowe r gear usin g th e left-han d pad-
dle shifter befor e tacklin g steep downhill gra-
dients .R
Activat e DSR. If this is no t sufficient, brake
gently. Whe n doin g so, mak e sur e that th e
vehicle is facin g in th e direction of th e lin e of
fall .R
Chec k that th e brake s are working normally
after a lon g downhill stretch .
i The special off-road AB S setting enable s a
precise, brief and repeated locking of th e
fron t wheels. Thi s causes them to dig into
loose earth . Be awar e that th e fron t wheels
easily skid across th e groun d surfac e if com-
pletely brake d and therefore los e their ability
to steer .
Drivin g systems
Intelligent Drive Mercedes-Ben z Intelligen t Drive stand s fo r inno -
vative driver assistanc e and safet y systems
whic h enhance comfor t and suppor t th e driver in
critical situations. Wit h these intelligen t co-ordi -
nated systems Mercedes-Ben z has set a mile-
ston e on th e pat h toward s autonomous driving.
Mercedes-Ben z Intelligen t Drive embraces all
elements of active and passive safet y in on e well
though t out syste m – fo r th e safet y of th e vehi-
cl e occupant s and that of other road users.
Further information on drivin g safet y systems
( Y
page 63).
Cruis e contro l
General notes
Cruise contro l maintain s a constant road speed
fo r you. It brake s automatically in order to avoid
exceedin g th e set speed. You mus t selec t a
lowe r gear in goo d time on lon g and steep down -
hill gradients, especially if th e vehicle is lade n or
towin g a trailer . By doin g so, you will mak e use of
th e braking effect of th e engine. Thi s relieves th e load on th e brake system and prevents th e
brake s from overheatin g and wearin g to o
quickly.
Use cruise contro l only if road and traffic con-
dition s mak e it appropriat e to maintain a steady
speed fo r a prolonged period. You can stor e any
road speed abov e 20 mph (30 km/ h) .
i Cruise control should not be activated when
driving off-road.
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 the road, traff ic and
weather conditions. Cruise control is only an
aid. You are responsible for the distance to the
vehicle in front, for vehicle spee d, for braking in
good time and for staying in your lane.
Do not use cruise control: R
in road and traffic conditions whic h do not
allow you to maintain a constant spee d, e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads R
on slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid R
when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driv er of the speed store d.
Cruise control lever
C
Activates or increases speed
D
Activates or reduces speed

In such cases, Distance Pilot DISTRONIC may: R
give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle R
neither give a warning nor intervene R
accelerate or brake unexpectedly
There is a risk of an accident.
Continue to drive carefully and be ready to
brake, especially if Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
warns you.
G WARNING
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC brakes your vehicle
with up to 50% of the maximum possible
deceleration. If this deceleration is not suffi-
cient, Distance Pilot DISTRONIC alerts you
with a visual and acoustic warning. There is a
risk of an accident.
Apply the brakes yourself in these situations
and try to take evasive action.
! When Distance Pilot DISTRONIC or the
HOLD function is activated, the vehicle
brakes automatically in certain situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or similar situations: R
when towing the vehicle R
in the car wash
If you fail to adapt your driving style, Distance
Pilot DISTRONIC can neither reduce the risk of
an accident nor override the laws of physics.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC cannot take into
account road, weather or traffic conditions. Dis-
tance Pilot DISTRONIC 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 your lane.
Do not use Distance Pilot DISTRONIC: R
in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads R
on slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid R
when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow Distance Pilot DISTRONIC may not detect nar-
row vehicles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or
vehicles driving on a different line.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can be
impaired if: R
there is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors R
there is snow or heavy rain R
there is interference by other radar sources R
there are strong radar reflections, for exam-
ple, in parking garages
If Distance Pilot DISTRONIC no longer detects a
vehicle in front, it may unexpectedly accelerate
to the speed stored.
This speed may: R
be too high if you are driving in a filter lane or
an exit lane R
be so high when driving in the right-hand lane
that you overtake vehicles in the left-hand
lane R
be so high when driving in the left-hand lane
that you overtake vehicles in the right-hand
lane
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever
C
Activates or increases speed
D
Activates or reduces speed

Selecting the drive program Distance Pilot DISTRONIC supports a sporty
driving style if you have selected the Sport or
Sport Plus drive program ( Y
page 149). Accel-
eration behind the vehicle in front or to the set
speed is then noticeably more dynamic. If you
have selected the Comfort drive program, the
vehicle accelerates more gently. This setting is
recommended in stop-and-start traffic.
Changing lanes If you change to the overtaking lane, Distance
Pilot DISTRONIC supports you if: R
you are driving faster than 45 mph (70 km/h) R
you switch on the appropriate turn signal R
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC does not currently
detect a danger of collision
If these conditions are fulfilled, your vehicle is
accelerated. Acceleration will be interrupted if
changing lanes takes too long or if the distance
between your vehicle and the vehicle in front
becomes too small.
i When you change lanes, Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC monitors the right lane (in left-
side traffic) or the left lane (in right-side traf-
fic).
Stopping
G WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, even if it is braked
only by DISTRONIC PLUS, it could roll away if: R
there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply. R
DISTRONIC PLUS has been deactivated
with the cruise control lever, e.g. by a vehi-
cle occupant or from outside the vehicle. R
the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with. R
the battery is disconnected. R
the accelerator pedal has been depressed,
e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
There is a risk of an accident.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
DISTRONIC PLUS and secure the vehicle
against rolling away. If Distance Pilot DISTRONIC detects that the
vehicle in front is stopping, it brakes your vehicle
to a stop.
Once your vehicle is stationary, it remains sta-
tionary and you do not need to depress the
brake.
After a time, the electric parking brake secures
the vehicle and relieves the service brake.
Depending on the specified minimum distance,
your vehicle will come to a standstill at a suffi-
cient distance behind the vehicle in front. The
specified minimum distance is set using the
control on the cruise control lever.
The transmission is shifted automatically to
position P if, with Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
activated and the vehicle stationary: R
the driver's door is open and the driver's seat
belt is unfastened. R
the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function.
The electric parking brake secures the vehicle
automatically if, with Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
activated and the vehicle stationary: R
a system malfunction occurs. R
the power supply is not sufficient.
On steep uphill or downhill inclines or if there is
a malfunction, the transmission may also be
automatically shifted into position P .
Setting a speed Keep in mind that it may take a brief moment
until the vehicle has accelerated or braked to
the speed set. X
Press the cruise control lever up C for a
higher speed or down

with the curb or other road boundaries. Be par-
ticularly aware of other road users, e.g. cyclists,
that are directly next to your vehicle.
Obstacles such as traffic pylons on the lane or
projecting out into the lane are not detected.
An inappropriate steering intervention, e.g. after
intentionally driving over a lane marking, can be
corrected at any time if you steer slightly in the
opposite direction.
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Pilot cannot
continuously keep your vehicle in lane. In some
cases, the steering intervention is not sufficient
to bring the vehicle back to the lane. In such
cases, you must steer the vehicle yourself to
ensure that it does not leave the lane.
The support provided by the system can be
impaired if: R
there is poor visibility, e.g. due to insufficient
illumination of the road, or due to snow, rain,
fog or spray R
there is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic, the
sun or reflections (e.g. when the road surface
is wet) R
the windshield is dirty, fogged up, damaged or
covered, for instance by a sticker, in the vicin-
ity of the camera R
there are no, several or unclear lane markings
for a lane, e.g. in areas with road construction
work R
the lane markings are worn away, dark or cov-
ered up, e.g. by dirt or snow R
the distance to the vehicle in front is too small
and the lane markings thus cannot be detec-
ted R
the lane markings change quickly, e.g. lanes
branch off, cross on e another or mergeR
the road is narrow and winding R
there are strong shadows cast on the road
The system is switched to passive and no longer
assists you by performing steering interventions
if: R
you actively change lane R
you switch on the turn signal R
take your hands off the steering wheel or do
not steer for a prolonged period of time
i After you have finished changing lanes,
Steering Pilot is automatically active once
more. Steering Pilot cannot provide assistance: R
on very sharp corners R
when towing a trailer R
when a loss of tire pressure or a defective tire
has been detected and displayed
Observe the important safety notes on Distance
Pilot DISTRONIC ( Y
page 174).
The steering interventions are carried out with a
limited steering moment. The system requires
the driver to keep his hands on the steering
wheel and to steer himself.
If you do not steer yourself or if you take your
hands off the steering wheel for a prolonged
period of time, the system will first alert you with
a visual warning. A steering wheel symbol
appears in the multifunction display. If you have
still not started to steer and have not taken hold
of the steering wheel after five seconds at the
latest, a warning tone also sounds to remind you
to take control of the vehicle. Steering Pilot is
then switched to passive. Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC remains active.
Activating Steering Pilot X
Activate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC with
Steering Pilot using the on-board computer
( Y
page 237).
The Steering Pilot On message appears in
the multifunction display. Steering Pilot is
activated.
Information in the multifunction display
If Steering Pilot is activated but not ready for a
steering intervention, steering wheel symbol C
appears in gray. If the system provides you with
support by means of steering interventions,
symbol C is shown in green.
Deactivating Steering Pilot X
Deactivate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC with
Steering Pilot using the on-board computer
( Y
page 237).
The Steering Pilot Off message appears
in the multifunction display. Steering pilot is
deactivated.Driving systems 181
Driving and parking Z

When Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is deactivated
or not available, Steering Pilot is deactivated
automatically.
Level control (vehicles with the Off-
road Engineering package)
Important safety notes Level control adapts the vehicle level automati-
cally to the current operating and driving situa-
tion. This results in reduced fuel consumption
and improved handling.
Make changes to the vehicle level while the
vehicle is in motion. This enables the vehicle to
adjust to the new level as quickly as possible.
The vehicle level may change visibly if you park
the vehicle and the outside temperature
changes. If the temperature drops, the vehicle
level is lower; with an increase in temperature,
the vehicle level rises.
If you unlock the vehicle or open a door, the
vehicle begins to compensate for load discrep-
ancies while still parked. However, for signifi-
cant level changes, such as after the vehicle has
been stationary for a long period, the engine
must be on. For safety reasons, the vehicle is
only lowered when the doors are closed. Low-
ering is interrupted if a door is opened, and it
continues once the door has been closed.
Further information about "Driving off-road"
( Y
page 168).
G WARNING
When the vehicle is being lowered, people
could become trapped if their limbs are
between the vehicle body and the wheels or
underneath the vehicle. There is a risk of
injury.
Make sure no one is underneath the vehicle or
in the immediate vicinity of the wheel arches
when the vehicle is being lowered.
G WARNING
When you drive with the vehicle raised, the
driving characteristics could be impaired by
the vehicle's raised center of gravity. The vehi-
cle could rollover more easily, for example on
a bend. There is a risk of an accident. Always select as low a vehicle level as possi-
ble and adjust your driving style.
G WARNING
When you drive with the chassis lowered or
raised, the vehicle's braking and driving char-
acteristics can be significantly impaired. You
could also exceed the permissible vehicle
height if the chassis is raised. There is a risk of
an accident.
Adjust the vehicle level before pulling away.
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.
! When driving on extremely rough terrain,
select a high vehicle level in good time. Make
sure there is always sufficient ground clear-
ance. You will otherwise damage the vehicle. R
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. R
In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is sig-
nificantly more likely to die than a person
wearing a seat belt.
You and all vehicle occupants should always
wear your seat belts.
Basic settings The extent to which the vehicle is raised or low-
ered depends on the basic setting selected.
Select: R
the Comfort or Sport drive program for driv-
ing on normal roads R
the Offroad drive program for driving on eas-
ily negotiable off-road terrain R
the Offroad Plus drive program for off-road
driving182
Driving systems
Driving and parking

Mercedes-AMG vehicles: if you have selected
the Sport Plus drive program:R
the roll angle is reduced even more signifi-
cantly R
the driving is designed for maximum dyna-
mism
Vehicle level Important safety notes
G WARNING
When the vehicle is being lowered, people
could become trapped if their limbs are
between the vehicle body and the wheels or
underneath the vehicle. There is a risk of
injury.
Make sure no one is underneath the vehicle or
in the immediate vicinity of the wheel arches
when the vehicle is being lowered.
G WARNING
When you drive with the vehicle raised, the
driving characteristics could be impaired by
the vehicle's raised center of gravity. The vehi-
cle could rollover more easily, for example on
a bend. There is a risk of an accident.
Always select as low a vehicle level as possi-
ble and adjust your driving style.
G WARNING
When you drive with the chassis lowered or
raised, the vehicle's braking and driving char-
acteristics can be significantly impaired. You
could also exceed the permissible vehicle
height if the chassis is raised. There is a risk of
an accident.
Adjust the vehicle level before pulling away.
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.
! When driving on extremely rough terrain,
select a high vehicle level in good time. Make
sure there is always sufficient ground clear-
ance. You will otherwise damage the vehicle. R
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. R
In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is sig-
nificantly more likely to die than a person
wearing a seat belt.
You and all vehicle occupants should always
wear your seat belts.
General notes Only select raised level if this is appropriate for
the road conditions. Otherwise, fuel consump-
tion may increase and handling may be affected.
Make changes to the vehicle level while the
vehicle is in motion. This enables the vehicle to
adjust to the new level as quickly as possible.
The vehicle level may change visibly if you park
the vehicle and the outside temperature
changes. If the temperature drops, the vehicle
level is lower; with an increase in temperature,
the vehicle level rises.
If you unlock the vehicle or open a door, the
vehicle begins to compensate for load discrep-
ancies while still parked. However, for signifi-
cant level changes, such as after the vehicle has
been stationary for a long period, the engine
must be on. For safety reasons, the vehicle is
only lowered when the doors are closed. Low-
ering is interrupted if a door is opened, and it
continues once the door has been closed.
Vehicles with no trailer coupled: below a
speed of 37 mph (60 km/h), you can choose
between the normal and raised vehicle level.
Sel ect the normal vehicle level for normal road
surfaces and the raised vehicle level for driving
with snow chains or on particularly poor road
surfaces. Your selection remains stored even if
you remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
If you try to select raised level at a speed above
37 mph (60 km/h), the Drive More Slowly
message appears in the multifunction display.188
Driving systems
Driving and parking