2018 MERCEDES-BENZ GLA SUV Owner's Manual

window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
Have your vehicle winter-proofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery road sur-
faces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steering and
braking maneuvers. Do not use cruise control or
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
XShift the transmission to position i.
XTry to bring the vehicle under control 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.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (
Ypage 302).
For more information on driving with summer
tires, see (
Ypage 301).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation" sec-
tion (
Ypage 301).
Off-road driving
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you drive on a steep incline at an angle or
turn when driving on an incline, the vehicle
could slip sideways, tip and rollover. There is a risk of an accident.
Always drive on a steep incline in the line of
fall (straight up or down) and do not turn the
vehicle.
GWARNING
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:
Rthe vehicle becomes stuck, e.g. on a high
curb or an unpaved road
Ryou drive too fast over an obstacle, e.g. a
curb, a speed bump or a pothole in the road
Ra 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 loads 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 tr affic c
ondi-
tions. In such cases, consult a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
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 could result in a reduced
braking effect or in total brake failure and also in increased wear and tear. The braking charac-
teristics change depending on the material
entering the brakes. Clean the brakes after driv-
ing off-road. If you detect a reduced braking
effect or grinding noises, have the brake system
Driving tips151
Driving and parking
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checked in a qualified specialist workshop as
soon as possible. Adapt your driving style to the
different braking characteristics.
Driving off-road increases the likelihood of dam-
age to the vehicle, which, in turn, can lead to
failure of the mechanical assembly or systems.
Adapt your driving style to suit the terrain con-
ditions. Drive carefully. Have damage to the
vehicle rectified immediately at a qualified spe-
cialist 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, drive back down in reverse gear.
General notes
HEnvironmental note
Protection of the environment is of primary
importance. Treat nature with respect.
Observe all prohibiting signs.
Read this section carefully 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:
ROff-road program (Ypage 167)
ROff-road ABS (Ypage 60)
ROff-road 4ETS (Ypage 64)
ROff-road ESP®(Ypage 66)
RDSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
(Ypage 166)
Observe the following notes:
RStop the vehicle before starting to drive along
an off-road route. If necessary, activate the
off-road program (
Ypage 130).
RTo avoid damaging the vehicle, make sure
there is always sufficient ground clearance.
RCheck that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
(
Ypage 252).
RAlways keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient. Activate
DSR (
Ypage 166).
RDrive slowly and evenly, if necessary at a
walking pace.
REnsure that the wheels are in contact with the
ground at all times.
RDrive with extreme care on unfamiliar off-road
routes where visibility is poor. For safety rea-
sons, get out of the vehicle first and survey
the off-road route.
RCheck the depth of water before fording rivers
and streams.
RWatch out for obstacles.
RTake care when turning on an uphill or down-
hill slope or when driving across a slope. The
vehicle could otherwise tip over.
RAlways keep the side windows and the pano-
rama roof with power tilt/sliding panel closed
during the journey.
RDo not deviate from marked routes.
RDo not use the HOLD function when driving
off-road, on steep uphill or downhill gradients
or on slippery or loose surfaces. The HOLD
function cannot hold the vehicle on such sur-
faces.
Checklist before driving off-road
XEngine oil level: check the engine oil level
and add oil if necessary.
When driving on steep gradients, the engine
oil level must be sufficiently high to ensure a
correct oil supply in the vehicle.
XWheels and tires: check the tire tread depth
and tire pressure.
XCheck for damage and remove any foreign
objects, e.g. small stones, from the wheels/
tires.
XReplace any missing valve caps.
XReplace dented or damaged wheels.
XRims: dented or bent rims can result in a loss
of tire pressure and damage the tire bead.
Before driving off-road, check the wheels and
replace them if necessary.
Checklist after driving off-road
!If you detect damage to the vehicle after
driving off-road, have the vehicle checked
immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
XDeactivate off-road program (Ypage 130).
XDeactivate DSR (Ypage 166).
XClean the headlamps and rear lights and
check for damage.
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XClean the front and rearlicense plates.
XClean the wheels and tires with a water jet
and remove any foreign objects.
XClean the wheels, wheel housings and the
veh icle undersi de with a water jet; check for
any foreign objects and damage.
XCheck whether twigs or other parts of plants
have become tr apped.These increase the risk
of fire and can damage fuel pipes, brake
hoses or the air bellowsof the axle joints and
propeller shafts.
XAfter the trip, examine without fail the entire
undercarriage, wheels, tires, brakes, body-
work structure, steering, chassis and exhaust
system for damage.
XAfter drivinginsand, mud, gravel, water or
similar dirt y conditions, have the foll owing
checked and cleane d:
Rbrakediscs
Rwheels
Rbrake pads
Raxlejoints
XIf you detect strong vibrations after off-road
travel, check for foreign objects inthe wheels
and drive train and remove them ifnecessary.
Foreign objects can disturb the balance and
cause vibrations.
Dr ivin g over poor road surfaces places greater
demands on your veh iclethan driving on normal
roads. After driving off-road, check the veh icle.
This allows you to detect damage prompt lyand
reduce the risk of an acc ident to yourself and
other road users.
Driving on sand
Observe the foll owing rules when driving on
sand:
RActivate the off-road program (Ypage 130).
RAvoid high engine speeds.
RUse the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter to shift to a lower gear appropriate to
the terrain.
RDrive quickly to overcome the rolling resist-
ance. Otherwise the vehicle's wheels could
become stuck inloose ground.
RDrive inthe tracks of other vehicles if possi-
ble. Make sure that:
-the tire ruts are not too deep.
-the sand issufficiently firm.
-the ground clearance of the vehicle issuf-
ficient.
Tire ruts and gravel roads
!Check that the ruts are not too deep and
that your vehicle has sufficient clearance.
Otherwise, your vehicle could be damaged or
bottom out and get stuck.
Observe the foll owing rules when driving along
ruts inoff-road terrain or on roads with loose
gravel:
RActivate the off-road program (Ypage 130).
RAvoid high engine speeds.
RShift to a lower gear using the left-hand steer-
ing wheel paddle shifter.
RDrive slowly.
RWhere ruts are too deep, drive with the
wheels of one sideon the center grassy area,
if possible.
Traveling uphill
Approach/departure angle
GWARNING
If you drive on a steep incline at an angle or
turn when driving on an incline, the vehicle
could slipsideways, tip and rollover. There is a
risk of an accident.
Always drive on a steep incline in the line of
fall (straight up or down) and do not turn the
vehicle.
RObserve the warnings for off-road driving
(Ypage 151).
RFollow the line of fall when driving on slopes
and steep inclines.
RBefore driving on extreme uphill and downhill gradients, select the off-road program
(
Ypage 130).
RDrive slowly.
Driving tips153
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RAccelerate gently and make sure that the
wheels are gripping.
RAvoid high engine speeds, except when driv-
ing on sandy and muddy routes with high driv-
ing resistance.
RUse the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter to shift to a lower gear appropriate to
the gradient.
RUse the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter to shift into a lower gear in good time
on long and steep downhill gradients.
Hill start assist will aid you when pulling away on a hill. For further information about hill start
assist, see (
Ypage 127).
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, drive back down in reverse gear.
Always observe the approach/departure angle
values (
Ypage 334).
Maximum gradient-climbing capability
Always observe the maximum gradient climbing
ability values (Ypage 334).
Hilltops
When driving up an uphill gradient, slightly
reduce pressure on the accelerator immediately
before reaching the brow of the hill. Make use of
the vehicle's own impetus to travel over the
brow.
This style of driving prevents:
Rthe vehicle from lifting off the ground on the
brow of a hill
Rthe vehicle from traveling too quickly down
the other side
Driving downhill
RDrive slowly.
RDo not drive at an angle down steep inclines.
Steer into the line of fall and drive with the
front wheels aligned straight. Otherwise, the
vehicle could slip sideways, tip and rollover.
RShift to a lower gear using the left-hand steer-
ing wheel paddle shifter before tackling steep
downhill gradients.
RActivate 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.
RCheck 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 18 mph (30 km/h), the front
wheels lock cyclically during braking. The dig-
ging-in effect achieved in the process reduces
the stopping distance on off-road terrain. 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. On long and steep
downhill gradients, especially if the vehicle is
laden, you must select a low gear in good time.
You need to shift manually using the steering
wheel paddle shifters beforehand. 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 20 mph (30 km/h) and the tech-
nically permitted maximum speed of the vehicle.
Use cruise control if road and traffic conditions
make it appropriate to maintain 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 the road, traffic and
weather 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 your lane.
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Do not use cruise control:
Rin road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads
Ron slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid
Rin poor visibility, e.g. due to fog, heavy rain or
snow
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever
:Activates or increases speed
;Activates or reduces speed
=Deactivates cruise control
?Activates at the current speed/last stored
speed
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display for
five seconds.
Activation conditions
To activate cruise control, all of the following
activation conditions must be fulfilled:
Rthe electric parking brake must be released.
RESP®must be active, but not intervening.
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 20 mph (30 km/h).
XAccelerate the vehicle to the desired speed.
XBriefly press the cruise control lever up :or
down ;.
XRemove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
Cruise control is activated. The vehicle auto-
matically maintains the stored speed.
iCruise 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 applying the brakes.
Storing the current speed or calling up the
last stored speed
GWARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it differs
from the current speed, the vehicle acceler-
ates or decelerates. If you do not know the
stored speed, the vehicle could accelerate or brake unexpectedly. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Pay attention to the road and traffic condi-
tions before calling up the stored speed. If you
do not know the stored speed, store the
desired speed again.
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
XRemove 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
Keep in mind that it may take a brief moment
until the vehicle has accelerated or braked to
the speed set.
XTo adjust the set speed in 5 mph incre-
ments (10 km/h increments): briefly press
the cruise control lever up :past the pres-
sure point for a higher speed, or down ;for
a lower speed.
XTo adjust the set speed in 1 mph incre-
ments (1 km/h increments): briefly press
the cruise control lever up :to the pressure
point for a higher speed, or down ;for a
lower speed.
Driving systems155
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iCruise controlisnot deactivated ifyou
depr ess the accelerator pedal.For example, if
you accelerate briefly to overtake, cruise con-
trol adjusts the veh icle'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:
XBriefly press the cruise control lever forwards
=.
or
XBrake.
Cruise control isautomatically deactivated if:
Rthe veh icle issecured with the electr icpark-
ing brake
Ryou are driving at less than 20 mph (30 km/h)
RESP®intervenes or you deactivate ESP®
Ryou shift the transmission to position i
while driving
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone. You will see the Cruise Con‐
trol Offmessage in the multifunction display
for approximately five seconds.
iWhen you switch off the engine, the last
speed stored is cleared.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
General notes
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC regulates the speed
and automatically helps you maintain the dis-
tance to the vehicle detected in front. Vehicles
are detected with the aid of the radar sensor
system. Distance Pilot DISTRONIC brakes auto-
matically to avoid exceeding the set speed or to
maintain the designated distance from the vehi-
cle in front.
If Distance Pilot DISTRONIC detects that there is a risk of a collision, you will be warned visually
and acoustically. Without your intervention, Dis-
tance Pilot DISTRONIC cannot prevent a colli-
sion. An intermittent warning tone will then
sound and the distance warning lamp will light
up in the instrument cluster. Brake immediately in order to increase the distance to the vehicle in
front or take evasive action provided it is safe to
do so. Distance Pilot DISTRONIC operates in the range
between 0 mph (0 km/h) and 120 mph
(200 km/h).
Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. This is especially
important if the vehicle is laden. 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 wear-
ing too qu ickly
.
Do not use Distance Pilot DISTRONIC on roads
with steep gradients.
For Distance Pilot DISTRONIC to assist you
when driving, the radar sensor system must be
operational.
Since Distance Pilot DISTRONIC transmits radar
waves, it can resemble the radar detectors of
the responsible authorities. You can refer to the
relevant chapter in the Operator's Manual if
questions are asked about this.
iUSA only: This device has been approved by
the FCC as a "Vehicular Radar System". The
radar sensor is intended for use in an auto-
motive radar system only. Removal, tamper-
ing, or altering of the device will void any war-
ranties, and is not permitted by the FCC. Do
not tamper with, alter, or use in any non-
approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user's authority to operate the
equipment.
iCanada only: This device complies with
RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference,
and
2. This device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Removal, tampering, or al tering o
f the device
will void any warranties, and is not permitted.
Do not tamper with, alter, or use in any non-
approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.
156Driving system s
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Important safety notes
GWARNING
Distanc ePilot DISTRONI Cdoes no treac tto :
Rpeople or animals
Rstationary objects on th eroad ,e.g. stoppe d
or parked vehicles
Roncomin gvehicles and crossing traffic
As aresult ,Distanc ePilot DISTRONI Cmay
neither giv ewarning sno rinterven ein suc h
situations. Ther eis aris kof an accident.
Always pay careful attention to th etraffic sit -
uation and be read yto brake.
GWARNIN G
Distanc ePilot DISTRONI Ccanno talways
clearly identify other road user sand comple x
traffic situations.
In suc hcases, Distanc ePilot DISTRONI Cmay:
Rgiv ean unnecessary warning and then
brak eth evehicl e
Rneither giv e awarning no rinterven e
Raccelerate or brak eunexpectedly
Ther eis aris kof an accident.
Continue to driv ecarefully and be read yto
brake, especially if Distanc ePilot DISTRONI C
warn syou.
GWARNIN G
Distanc ePilot DISTRONI Cbrakes your vehicl e
wit hup to 50 %of th emaximum possible
deceleration .If this deceleration is no tsuffi-
cient ,Distanc ePilot DISTRONI Calerts you
wit h a visual and acoustic warning .Ther eis a
ris kof an accident.
Apply th ebrakes yourself in these situation s
and tr yto tak eevasive action .
!When DistancePilot DISTRONI Cor th e
HOLD function is activated, th evehicl e
brakes automatically in certain situations. To avoi
ddamag eto th evehicle, deactivat e
Distanc ePilot DISTRONI Cand th eHOLD
function in th efollowin gor similar situations:
Rwhen towin gth evehicl e
Rin thecar wash
If you fail to adapt your driving style, Distanc e
Pilot DISTRONI Ccan neither reduce th eris kof
an acciden tno roverride th elaws of physics .
Distanc ePilot DISTRONI Ccanno ttak eint o
accoun troad ,weather or traffic conditions. Dis-
tance Pilot DISTRONI Cis only an aid. You are
responsible for th edistanc eto th evehicl ein
front, for vehicl espeed, for braking in goo dtime
and for staying in your lane.
Do no tuse Distanc ePilot DISTRONIC:
Rin road and traffic condition swhic hdo no t
allow you to maintai n aconstan tspeed, e.g. in
heav ytraffi
c or on windin
groad s
Ron slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could caus eth edriv ewheels to lose
traction and th evehicl ecould then skid
Rwhen there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog ,
heav yrain or snow
Distanc ePilot DISTRONI Cmay no tdetec tnar -
row vehicles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or
vehicles driving on adifferen tline.
In particular, th edetection of obstacles can be
impaire dif:
Rthere is dirt on th esensor sor anythin gelse
covering th esensor s
Rthere is snow or heav yrain
Rthere is interferenc eby other radar source s
Rthere are strongradar reflections, for exam-
ple, in parking garages
If Distanc ePilot DISTRONI Cno longer detects a
vehicl ein front, it may unexpectedly accelerate
to th espee dstored.
This spee dmay:
Rbe to ohigh if you are driving in afilter lan eor
an exit lan e
Rbe so high when driving in th eright-hand lan e
that you overtake vehicles in th eleft-han d
lan e
Rbe so high in th elef tlan ethat you pass vehi-
cle sdriving in th eright lan e
If there is achang eof drivers ,advise th ene w
driver of th espee dstored.
Driving systems157
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Cruise control lever
:Stores the current speed or a higher speed
;Stores the current speed or a lower speed
=Deactivates Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
?Stores the current speed or calls up the last
stored speed
ASets a specified minimum distance
Activating Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
Activation conditions
!When Distance Pilot DISTRONIC or the
HOLD function is activated, the vehicle
brakes automatically in certain situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC and the HOLD
function in the following or similar situations:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin the car wash
To activate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC, the fol-
lowing conditions must be fulfilled:
Rthe engine must be started. It may take up to
two minutes of driving before Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC is ready for use.
Rthe electric parking brake must be released.
RESP®must be active, but not intervening.
RParking Pilot must not be activated.
Rthe transmission must be in position h.
Rthe driver's door must be closed when you
shift fromjtoh or your seat belt must be
fastened.
Rthe front-passenger door must be closed.
RDSR must be deactivated.
Rthe vehicle must not skid.
Activating
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?, up :or down ;.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is activated.
XKeep the cruise control lever pressed up :or
down ;until the desired speed is set.
XRemove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to that of the
vehicle in front, but only up to the desired
stored spee d.
iIf you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DistancePilotSuspendedmes-
sage appears in the multifunction display. The set distance to a slower-moving vehicle in
front will then not be maintained. You will be
driving at the speed you determine by the
position of the accelerator pedal.
You can also activate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
when stationary. The lowest speed that can be
set is 20 mph (30 km/h).
Drivin gwit hDistance Pilo tDISTRONI C
Activating at th ecurrent speed/last
stored speed
GWARNING
If you cal lup th estored speed and it differs
from th ecurren tspeed, th evehicle acceler -
ates or decelerates. If you do no tknow th e
stored speed, th evehicle could accelerat eor
brake unexpectedly. There is aris kof an acci-
dent.
Pay attention to th eroad and traffic condi-
tion sbefor ecallin gup th estored speed. If you
do no tknow th estored speed, stor eth e
desire dspeed again .
XBriefly pull th ecruise contro llever toward s
you ?.
XRemov eyour foot from th eaccelerator pedal.
The first time Distanc ePilo tDISTRONIC is
activated, it stores th ecurren tspeed or reg -
ulates th espeed of th evehicle to th eprevi-
ousl ystored speed.
158Driving systems
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