2018 MERCEDES-BENZ GLC ESP

R
avoid sudden steering movements R
brake carefully
Driving on flooded roads
! Bear in mind that vehicles traveling in front
or in the opposite direction create waves. This
may cause the maximum permissible water
depth to be exceeded.
Failure to observe these notes may result in
damage to the engine, electrical systems and
transmission.
If you have to drive on stretches of road on which
water has collected, please bear in mind that: R
in the case of standing water, the water level
may be no higher than the lower edge of the
vehicle body R
you should drive no faster than walking pace
Winter driving
G WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in
an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
G DANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the
vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open a
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: X
Shift the transmission to position \\ .
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. The vehicle could
skid if you fail to adapt your driving style. Always
adapt your driving st yle an d drive at a speed to
suit the prevailing weather conditions.
You should pay special attention to road condi-
tions when temperatures are around freezing
point.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see ( Y
page 351).
For more information on driving with summer
tires, see ( Y
page 351).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation" sec-
tion ( Y
page 351).
Off-road driving
Important safety notes
G WARNING
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.
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 on an unpaved road or off-road,
check the vehicle underside regularly. In par-
ticular, remove trapped plant parts or other Driving tips 165
Driving and parking Z

flammable material. Contact a qualified spe-
cialist workshop immediately if damage is
detected.
! 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, a speed bump 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 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 traffic condi-
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 gri nding
noises, have the brake system
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 \\ when
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
H Environmental 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 Off-
Road Engineering package ( Y
page 181).
The following driving systems are specially
adapted for driving over easily negotiable off-
road terrain: R
Off-road program ( Y
page 181)R
Off-road 4ETS ( Y
page 70)R
Off-road ESP ®
( Y
page 72)R
DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
( Y
page 180)
Observe the following notes: R
Stop the vehicle before starting to drive along
an off-road route. If necessary, activate the
off-road program ( Y
page 181).R
To avoid damaging the vehicle, make sure
there is always sufficient ground clearance. R
Check that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
( Y
page 295). R
Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient. Activate
DSR ( Y
page 180). R
Drive slowly and evenly, if necessary at a
walking pace. R
Ensure that the wheels are in contact with the
ground at all times. R
Drive 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. R
Check the depth of water before fording rivers
and streams. R
Watch out for obstacles.166
Driving tips
Driving and parking

Drivin g systems
Mercedes-Benz 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 coordi-
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 66).
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. Change into a lowe r
gear in goo d time on lon g and steep downhill
gradients. Thi s is especially important 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 sys -
te m 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).
Important safet y notesCruise contro l can neither reduce th e ris k of an
acciden t if you fai l to adapt your drivin g style no r
override th e laws of physics. Cruise contro l can -
no t take into accoun t th e road, traffic and
weather conditions. Cruise contro l is only an
aid. You are responsible fo r maintainin g a saf e
distanc e to th e vehicle in front, fo r vehicle
speed, fo r braking in goo d time and fo r stayin g in
lane. Do no t use cruise control: R
in road and traffic condition s whic h do no t
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g. in
heav y traffic or on windin g roadsR
on slipper y road surfaces. Brakin g or accel-
erating could cause th e drive wheels to los e
traction and th e vehicle could then skid R
when there is poo r visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heav y rain or snow
If there is a chang e of drivers, advise th e ne w
driver of th e speed stored.
i The speed indicated in th e speedometer
may diffe r slightly from th e speed stored.
Cruis e contro l lever
C
Activates or increase s speedD
Activates or reduce s speed

Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. This is especially
impo rtant if the veh icle is laden. By doin g 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 quic kly.
If Distance Pilot DI ST RONIC detects that there is
a risk of a co llisio n, you will be warned visually
and acoustically. Without your intervention, Dis-
tance Pilot DISTRONIC cannot prevent a co lli-
sion. An intermittent warning tone will then
sound and the dist ance warning lamp will light
up in the instrument cluster. Brake immediately
in order to increase the dist ance to the veh icle in
front or take evasive action pro vide d it is safe to
do so.
Distance Pilot DI ST RONIC operates in the range
between 0 mph (0 km/h) and 120 mph
(200 km/h).
Do not use Distance Pilot DI ST RONIC while driv -
ing on roads with steep gradients.
Sin ce Distance Pilot DI ST RONIC transmits radar
waves, it can resemble the radar detectors of
the respon sible authorities. You can refer to the
relevant chapter in the Operator's Manual if
questions are asked about this.
i USA only: This device has been approved by
the FCC as a "Vehicular Radar System". The
radar sensor is intended for use in an aut o-
m
otive 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 wit h, alter, or use in any non-
approved way.
Any unauthorized mod ific ation to th is device
could void the user's authority to operate the
equipm ent.
i Canada only: This device co mplie s wit h
RSS -210 of In dustry Canada. Operation is
subject to the foll owin g two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference,
and
2. This device must accept any interference
receive d, inc ludin g interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Removal, tampering, or altering of the device
will void any warranties, and is not permitte d.
Do not tamper wit h, alter, or use in any non-
approved way. Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user's authority to operate the
equipment.
Important safety notes
G WARNING
Distance Pilot DI ST RONIC does not react to: R
people or animals R
stationary objects on the road, e.g. st oppe d
or parked vehicles R
oncoming vehicles and crossing traffic
As a result, Distance Pilot DI ST RONIC may
neither give warnings nor intervene in such
situations. There is a risk of an accident.
Alwa ys pay careful attention to the traff ic sit-
uation and be ready to brake.
G WARNING
Distance Pilot DI ST RONIC cannot always
clearly identify other road users and co mple x
traff ic situations.
In such cases, Distance Pilot DI ST RONIC may:R
give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle R
neither give a warning nor intervene R
accelerate or brake unexpect edly
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 DI ST RONIC brakes your vehicle
with up to 50% of the maximum poss ible
deceleration. If this deceleration is not suffi-
cient, Distance Pilot DI ST RONIC alerts you
wit h 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 DI ST RONIC or the
HOLD function are activated, the vehicle
brakes automatically in certain situations.Driving systems 171
Driving and parking Z

To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
these systems in the following or similar sit-
uations: R
when towing the vehicle R
in the car wash
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC can neither reduce
the risk of an accident if you fail to adapt your
driving style 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 maintaining a safe distance to
the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for brak-
ing in good time and for staying in 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
in 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 turning lane
or an exit lane R
be so high in the right lane that you pass vehi-
cles driving on the left (in countries where
they drive on the right) R
be so high in the left lane that you pass vehi-
cles driving on the right (in countries where
they drive on the left)
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

Distance Pilo t DISTRONI C wit h Steering
Pilo tGeneral notes
Distanc e Pilo t DISTRONIC wit h Steerin g Pilo t
aids you in keepin g th e vehicle in th e middle of
th e lan e by means of moderat e steerin g inter-
vention s in a speed range from 0 – 12 5 mph
(0 - 20 0 km/h).
It monitors th e are a in fron t of your vehicle by
means of multifunction camera C , fixed at th e
to p of th e windshield .
In a speed range from 0 - 37 mph (0 - 60 km/ h) ,
Steering Pilot focuses on the vehicle in front,
taking into account lane markings, e.g. when
following vehicles in a traffic jam.
At speeds of more than 37 mph (60 km/h),
Steering Pilot focuses on clear lane markings
(left and right), focusing on the vehicle in front
only if clear lane markings are not present.
If these conditions are not present, Steering
Pilot cannot provide assistance.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC must be active in
order for the function to be available.
Important safety notes
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC and Steering Pilot can
neither reduce the risk of an accident if you fail
to adapt your driving style nor override the laws
of physics. Distance Pilot DISTRONIC with
Steering Pilot cannot take into account road,
weather or traffic conditions. Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC with Steering Pilot is only an aid.
You are responsible for maintaining a safe dis-
tance to the ve hi
cle in front, for vehicle speed,
for braking in good time and for staying in lane.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC with Steering Pilot
does not detect road and traffic conditions and
does not detect all road users. If you are follow-
ing a vehicle which is driving towards the edge of
the road, your vehicle could come into contact 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 markers on a con-
struction site that are 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, 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 system may be impaired or may not function
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 reflection from other vehicles (e.g. if
the road su rface i s 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 or several unclear lane markings
for one lane, e.g. roadworks 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 short
and thus the lane markings cannot be detec-
ted R
the lane markings change quickly, e.g. lanes
branch off, cross one another or merge R
the road is narrow and winding R
there are highly variable shade conditions on
the roadway
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
you take your hands off the steering wheel or
do not steer for a prolonged period of time
After you have finished changing lanes, Steering
Pilot is automatically active once more.Driving systems 177
Driving and parking Z

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
Pay attention also to the important safety notes
on Distance Pilot DISTRONIC ( Y
page 171).
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, a warning tone also
sounds to remind you to take control of the
vehicle after five seconds at the latest. Steering
Pilot is then switched to passive. Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC remains active.
Activating Steering Pilot
X
Press button D .
Indicator lamp C lights up. The Steering
Pilot On message appears on the multifunc-
tion 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
Press button D .
Indicator lamp C goes out. The Steering
Pilot Off message appears on the multi-
function display. Steering pilot is deactivated.
When Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is deactivated
or not available, Steering Pilot is deactivated
automatically.
HOLD function
General notes The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations: R
when pulling away, especially on steep slopes R
when maneuvering on steep slopes R
when waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the driver
having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is canceled and the HOLD
function deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away.178
Driving systems
Driving and parking

The electric parking brake secures the vehicle
automatically if the HOLD function is activated
when the vehicle is stationary and: R
a system malfunction occurs R
the power supply is insufficient
If a malfunction occurs, the transmission may
also be shifted to position ] automatically.
DSR
General notes DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation) is an aid to
assist you when driving downhill that is available
only in vehicles with the Off-Road Engineering
package.
It keeps the speed of travel at the speed selec-
ted on the on-board computer. The steeper the
downhill gradient, the greater the DSR braking
effect on the vehicle. When driving on flat
stretches of road or on an uphill gradient, the
DSR braking effect is minimal or nonexistent.
DSR controls the vehicle’s speed when it is acti-
vated and the transmission is in position [ , ^
or \\ . You can drive at a higher or a lower speed
than that set on the on-board computer at any
time by accelerating or braking.
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If the speed driven and the set speed deviate
and you activate DSR on a slippery road sur-
face, the wheels may lose traction. There is an
increased danger of skidding and accidents.
Before switching DSR on, please take into
consideration the road surface and the differ-
ence between driving speed and the set
speed.
DSR can neither reduce the risk of accident if
you fail to adapt your driving style nor override
the laws of physics. DSR cannot take account of
road, weather and traffic conditions. DSR is only
an aid. You are responsible for maintaining a
safe distance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle
speed, for braking in good time and for staying in
lane.
You are always responsible for keeping control
of the vehicle and for assessing whether the
downhill gradient can be managed. DSR may not always be able to keep to the set speed, depend-
ing on road surface and tire conditions. Select a
set speed suitable for the prevailing conditions
and when necessary, apply the brakes manually.
Further information about "Driving off-road"
( Y
page 165).
Activating/deactivating DSR If you activate DSR and no speed has been set,
the vehicle decelerates to 4 mph (6 km/h).
You can activate DSR only when driving at
speeds below 25 mph (40 km/h).
X
To switch on: press button C .
Indicator lamp D lights up.
The status indicator on the multifunction dis-
play shows e.g. DSR 6 km/h .
If the current vehicle speed is too high, the DSR
symbol appears on the multifunction display
with the Max. Speed 40 km/h message.
If you enter or exit a parking space using Parking
Pilot and press button C , indicator lamp D
flashes. DSR can then not be switched on. X
To switch off: press button C .
Indicator lamp D goes out.
The DSR symbol appears on the multifunction
display with the Off message.
DSR switches off automatically if you drive at
speeds greater than 28 mph (45 km/h). The
DSR symbol appears on the multifunction dis-
play with the Off message. A warning tone also
sounds.180
Driving systems
Driving and parking