2017 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS child restraint

Top Tether
Introduction Top Tether provides an additional connection
between the child restraint system secured with
a LATCH-type (ISOFIX) system and the vehicle.
This helps reduce the risk of injury even further.
If the child restraint system is equipped with a
Top Tether belt, this should always be used.
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If the rear seats or the rear seat backrests are
not locked, they could fold forwards in the
event of an accident, heavy braking or sudden
changes of direction. As a result, child
restraint systems cannot perform their inten-
ded protective function. Rear seats and rear
seat backrests that are not locked can also
cause additional injuries, e.g. in the event of
an accident. This poses an increased risk of
injury or even fatal injury.
Always lock the rear seats and rear seat
backrests after installing a Top Tether belt.
Observe the lock verification indicator. Adjust
the rear seat backrests so that they are in an
upright position.
Make sure that the backrest in the rear com-
partment engages fully. To do so, pull firmly on
the seat backrest.
Top Tether anchorages
The Top Tether anchorages for the second row
of seats are located on the rear of the rear seat
backrests. For the third row of seats, use the cargo tie-down rings in the cargo compartment
floor.
X
Move head restraint

Child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat
General notes Accident statistics show that children secured
in the rear seats are safer than children secured
in the front-passenger seat. For this reason,
Mercedes-Benz strongly advises that you install
the child restraint system on a rear seat.
If it is absolutely necessary to install a child
restraint system on the front-passenger seat,
always observe the instructions and safety
notes on the "Occupant Classification System
(OCS)" ( Y
page 48).
You can thus avoid the risks that could arise as
a result of: R
an incorrectly categorized person in the front-
passenger seat R
the unintentional deactivation of the front-
passenger front air bag R
the unsuitable positioning of the child
restraint system, e.g. too close to the dash-
board
Rearward-facing child restraint system If it is absolutely necessary to install a rearward-
facing child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat, always make sure that the
front-passenger front air bag is deactivated.
Only if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is permanently lit ( Y
page 42) is the front-
passenger front air bag deactivated.
Always observe the child restraint system man-
ufacturer's installation and operating instruc-
tions.
Forward-facing child restraint system If it is absolutely necessary to install a forward-
facing child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat, always move the front-
passenger seat as far back as possible. The
entire base of the child restraint system must
always rest on the seat cushion of the front-
passenger seat. The backrest of the child
restraint system must lie as flat as possible
against the backrest of the front-passenger
seat. The child restraint system must not touch
the roof or be subjected to a load by the head
restraint. Adjust the angle of the seat backrest
and the head restraint position accordingly.
Always make sure that the shoulder belt strap is correctly routed from the vehicle belt outlet to
the shoulder belt guide on the child restraint
system. The shoulder belt strap must be routed
forwards and downwards from the vehicle belt
outlet. If necessary, adjust the vehicle belt out-
let and the front-passenger seat accordingly.
Always observe the child restraint system man-
ufacturer's installation and operating instruc-
tions.
Child-proof locks
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If children are traveling in the vehicle, they
could: R
open doors, thus endangering other people
or road users R
exit the vehicle and be caught by oncoming
traffic R
operate vehicle equipment and become
trapped
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Always activate the child-proof locks and
override feature if children are traveling in the
vehicle. When leaving the vehicle, always take
the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unattended in the vehicle.
Override feature for: R
the rear doors ( Y
page 62) R
the rear side windows ( Y
page 62)
G WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example: R
release the parking brake. R
shift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P . R
start the engine.
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.Children in the vehicle 61
Safety Z

When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
G WARNING
If persons, particularly children are subjected
to prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold, there is a risk of injury, possibly even
fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle.
G WARNING
If the child restraint system is subjected to
direct sunlight, parts may get very hot. Chil-
dren may burn themselves on these parts,
particularly on the metal parts of the child
restraint system. There is a risk of injury.
If you leave the vehicle, taking the child with
you, always ensure that the child restraint
system is not exposed to direct sunlight. Pro-
tect it with a blanket, for example. If the child
restraint system has been exposed to direct
sunlight, let it cool down before securing the
child in it. Never leave children unattended in
the vehicle.
Child-proof locks for the rear doors
You secure each door individually with the child-
proof locks on the rear doors. A door secured
with a child-proof lock cannot be opened from
inside the vehicle. When the vehicle is unlocked,
the door can be opened from the outside. X
To activate: press the child-proof lock lever
up in the direction of arrow C .X
Make sure that the child-proof locks are work-
ing properly. X
To deactivate: press the child-proof lock
lever down in the direction of arrow D .
Override feature for the rear side win-
dows X
To activate/deactivate: press button C .
If indicator lamp D is lit, operation of the rear
side windows is disabled. Operation is only
possible using the switches in the driver's
door. If indicator lamp D is off, operation is
possible using the switches in the rear com-
partment.
Pets in the vehicle
G WARNING
If you leave animals unattended or unsecured
in the vehicle, they could press buttons or
switches, for example.
As a result, they could: R
activate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example R
activate or deactivate systems, thereby
endangering other road users
Unsecured animals could also be flung around
the vehicle in the event of an accident or sud-
den steering or braking, thereby injuring vehi-
cle occupants. There is a risk of an accident
and injury.62
Pets in the vehicle
Safety

G WARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do
the following while driving: R
adjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors R
fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirror and fasten your seat belt
before starting the engine.
G WARNING
If you adjust the seat height carelessly, you or
other vehicle occupants could be trapped and
thereby injured. Children in particular could
accidentally press the electrical seat adjust-
ment buttons and become trapped. There is a
risk of injury.
While moving the seats, make sure that your
hands or other body parts do not get under the
lever assembly of the seat adjustment sys-
tem.
G WARNING
If the head restraints are not installed or not
adjusted correctly, they cannot provide pro-
tection as intended. There is an increased risk
of injury in the head and neck area, e.g. in the
event of an accident or when braking.
Always drive with the head restraints instal-
led. Before driving off, make sure for every
vehicle occupant that the center of the head
restraint supports the back of the head at
about eye level.
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.
! To avoid damage to the seats and the seat
heating, observe the following information: R
keep liquids from spilling on the seats. If
liquid is spilled on the seats, dry them as
soon as possible. R
if the seat covers are damp or wet, do not
switch on the seat heating. The seat heat-
ing should also not be used to dry the seats. R
clean the seat covers as recommended;
see "Interior care". R
do not transport heavy loads on the seats.
Do not place sharp objects on the seat
cushions, e.g. knives, nails or tools. The
seats should only be occupied by passen-
gers, if possible. R
when the seat heating is in operation, do
not cover the seats with insulating materi-
als, e.g. blankets, coats, bags, seat covers,
child seats or booster seats.
! Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell under or behind the seats when mov-
ing the seats back. There is a risk that the
seats and/or the objects could be damaged.
i It is not possible to remove the head
restraints from the front seats. The rear-com-
partment head restraints, however, can be
removed ( Y
page 98).
For more information, contact a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
i Further related subjects: R
Cargo compartment enlargement (folding
down the rear bench seat) ( Y
page 297)Seats 95
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors Z

Removing and installing the rear seat
head restraints X
To remove: pull the head restraint up to the
stop. X
Press release catch C and pull the head
restraint out of the guides. X
To re-install: insert the head restraint so that
the notches on the bar are on the left when
viewed in the direction of travel. X
Push the head restraint down until you hear it
engage in position.
Rear seats (second and third row of
seats)
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If the seat and backrest are not engaged, they
can fold forwards, e.g. in the event of sudden
braking or an accident. R
This will cause the vehicle occupants to be
forced into the seat belt by a seat or back-
rest which is not engaged. The seat belt can
no longer offer the intended level of pro-
tection and could even cause injuries. R
A child restraint system would no longer be
anchored or positioned correctly and would
not be able to perform its required function. R
The seat backrests cannot restrain objects
or loads in the cargo compartment.
There is an increased risk of injury.
Always make sure that the seat and backrest
are engaged as described: R
before traveling with a passenger on a seat
with the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature R
after you have adjusted the seat R
after the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature has
been used R
after the cargo compartment enlargement
has been folded forwards
G WARNING
The seat does not engage in the entry/exit
position. The seat could fold back suddenly, e.g. when accelerating, braking, changing
direction suddenly or in the event of an acci-
dent. Persons in the sweep of the seat could
become trapped. There is a risk of injury.
Always fold back a seat which has been folded
forwards before you pull away. Make sure that
the seat and backrest engage fully.
G WARNING
Children could become trapped if they adjust
the seats, particularly when unattended.
There is a risk of injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
G WARNING
When you adjust a seat, you or other vehicle
occupants could become trapped, e.g. on the
seat guide rail. There is a risk of injury.
Make sure when adjusting a seat that no one
has any body parts in the sweep of the seat.
Adjusting the backrest angle (second
row of seats)
You can adjust the angle of the backrests in the
second row of seats. There are ten detent posi-
tions to choose from. X
Pull the left or right release lever D upwards
in the direction of the arrow until relevant
backrest C is fully released. X
Pull backrest C forwards in the direction of
the arrow and allow it to engage. X
To ensure that the backrest has engaged, lean
firmly against backrest C .98
Seats
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors

If you drop objects underneath the seats in the
third row, you can remove the panel in order to
reach beneath the seat. X
To open: fold the corresponding seat up or
down ( Y
page 99).X
Once the seat is folded halfway up or down,
briefly press the button again to stop the
automatic movement. X
Grasp the panel recess. X
Pull the panel in the direction of the arrow and
remove it. X
To close: fold the corresponding seat up or
down ( Y
page 99).X
Once the seat is folded halfway up or down,
briefly press the button again to stop the
automatic movement. X
Attach the panel using the guide pins. X
Push the panel downwards until it engages. X
Fold the seat up and down fully to check that
the panel is seated correctly.
Folding down the seats in the second
row manually
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If the seat and backrest are not engaged, they
can fold forwards, e.g. in the event of sudden
braking or an accident. R
This will cause the vehicle occupants to be
forced into the seat belt by a seat or back-
rest which is not engaged. The seat belt can
no longer offer the intended level of pro-
tection and could even cause injuries. R
A child restraint system would no longer be
anchored or positioned correctly and would
not be able to perform its required function. R
The seat backrests cannot restrain objects
or loads in the cargo compartment.
There is an increased risk of injury.
Always make sure that the seat and backrest
are engaged as described: R
before traveling with a passenger on a seat
with the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature R
after you have adjusted the seat R
after the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature has
been used R
after the cargo compartment enlargement
has been folded forwards
G WARNING
The seat does not engage in the entry/exit
position. The seat could fold back suddenly,
e.g. when accelerating, braking, changing
direction suddenly or in the event of an acci-
dent. Persons in the sweep of the seat could
become trapped. There is a risk of injury.
Always fold back a seat which has been folded
forwards before you pull away. Make sure that
the seat and backrest engage fully.
General notes Getting into or out of the third row of seats: you
can fold forward the right outer seat in the sec-
ond row of seats.
If the right outer rear seat in the second row of
seats is in the entry/exit position: the display
message: 2nd Seat Row, Right Not Locked
appears in the multifunction display, for exam-
ple.
If you fold the seat back until it engages, the
display message disappears.
Pull the backrest firmly to ensure that it is fully
engaged.
i Further related subjects: R
Cargo compartment enlargement (folding
the second row of seats forwards)
( Y
page 297) R
Folding the seats in the third row forwards/
back ( Y
page 99)
Entry position100
Seats
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors

X
Move the head restraint to the lowest position
( Y
page 97). X
Pull release handle D in the direction of the
arrow to the pressure point and hold it in this
position.
The backrest folds forwards.
You have two options for folding the seat down
fully. X
Pull release handle D again in the direction of
the arrow to the pressure point and hold it in
this position.
or X
Pull on release loop C in the direction of the
arrow and hold in this position. X
Lift up the seat until it folds forwards.
i Vehicles with memory function: the front
seats move forwards slightly.
Entry position
Exit position
G WARNING
When you adjust a seat, you or other vehicle
occupants could become trapped, e.g. on the
seat guide rail. There is a risk of injury.
Make sure when adjusting a seat that no one
has any body parts in the sweep of the seat.
i Further related subjects: R
Important safety notes on air bags
( Y
page 46) R
Securing children in the vehicle
( Y
page 57) If you wish to exit the third row of seats, fold
down the outer seat on the right-hand side as
follows.
The release loop for the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT fea-
ture is located at the bottom on the back of the
right outer seat in the second row of seats. X
Pull on release loop C in the direction of the
arrow and hold in this position.
The backrest folds forwards. X
Pull on release loop C again in the direction
of the arrow and hold in this position. X
Lift up the seat until it folds forwards.
i Vehicles with memory function: the front
seats move forwards slightly.
Exit position
i Vehicles with memory function: in order to
return the front seats to the saved position,
call up the saved seat setting using the mem-
ory buttons. Seats 101
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors Z

Moving the outer seats back to the normal
position (second row of seats)
G WARNING
If the seat and backrest are not engaged, they
can fold forwards, e.g. in the event of sudden
braking or an accident. R
This will cause the vehicle occupants to be
forced into the seat belt by a seat or back-
rest which is not engaged. The seat belt can
no longer offer the intended level of pro-
tection and could even cause injuries. R
A child restraint system would no longer be
anchored or positioned correctly and would
not be able to perform its required function. R
The seat backrests cannot restrain objects
or loads in the cargo compartment.
There is an increased risk of injury.
Always make sure that the seat and backrest
are engaged as described: R
before traveling with a passenger on a seat
with the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature R
after you have adjusted the seat R
after the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature has
been used R
after the cargo compartment enlargement
has been folded forwards
G WARNING
The seat does not engage in the entry/exit
position. The seat could fold back suddenly,
e.g. when accelerating, braking, changing
direction suddenly or in the event of an acci-
dent. Persons in the sweep of the seat could
become trapped. There is a risk of injury.
Always fold back a seat which has been folded
forwards before you pull away. Make sure that
the seat and backrest engage fully. X
To lock the seat: fold back the seat until it
engages. X
Fold back the backrest until it engages. Folding down the seats in the second
row electrically Important safety notes
G WARNING
If the seat and backrest are not engaged, they
can fold forwards, e.g. in the event of sudden
braking or an accident. R
This will cause the vehicle occupants to be
forced into the seat belt by a seat or back-
rest which is not engaged. The seat belt can
no longer offer the intended level of pro-
tection and could even cause injuries. R
A child restraint system would no longer be
anchored or positioned correctly and would
not be able to perform its required function. R
The seat backrests cannot restrain objects
or loads in the cargo compartment.
There is an increased risk of injury.
Always make sure that the seat and backrest
are engaged as described: R
before traveling with a passenger on a seat
with the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature R
after you have adjusted the seat R
after the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature has
been used R
after the cargo compartment enlargement
has been folded forwards
G WARNING
The seat does not engage in the entry/exit
position. The seat could fold back suddenly,
e.g. when accelerating, braking, changing
direction suddenly or in the event of an acci-
dent. Persons in the sweep of the seat could
become trapped. There is a risk of injury.
Always fold back a seat which has been folded
forwards before you pull away. Make sure that
the seat and backrest engage fully.
General notes
To enter or exit the third row of seats: the outer
left and right seats of the second row can be
folded down electrically.102
Seats
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors