2018 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE engine

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.
Driving over rough terrain places greater
demands on your vehicle than driving on normal
roads. After driving off-road, check the vehicle.
This allows you to detect damage promptly and
reduce the risk of an accident to yourself and
other road users. X
If the Offroad or Offroad Plus drive program
is selected: select the Individual , Sport ,
Comfort or Slippery drive program
( Y
page 142). X
Deactivate the LOW RANGE off-road gear
( Y
page 216). X
Deactivate DSR ( Y
page 213).X
Lower the vehicle level again to a level suita-
ble to the road conditions, e.g. to the normal
level. X
Clean the headlamps and rear lights and
check for damage. X
Clean the front and rear license plates. X
Clean the wheels and tires with a water jet
and remove any foreign objects. X
Clean the wheels, wheel housings and the
vehicle underside with a water jet; check for
any foreign objects and damage. X
Check whether twigs or other parts of plants
have become trapped. These increase the risk
of fire and can damage fuel pipes, brake
hoses or the rubber bellows of the axle joints
and propeller shafts. X
After the trip, examine without fail the entire
undercarriage, wheels, tires, brakes, body-
wor k stru cture, steering, chassis and exhaust
system
for damage.X
After driving for extended periods across
sand, mud, gravel, water or in similarly dirty
conditions, have the brake discs, wheels,
brake pads/linings and axle joints checked
and cleaned. X
If you detect strong vibrations after off-road
travel, check for foreign objects in the wheels
and drive train and remove them if necessary.
Foreign objects can disturb the balance and
cause vibrations. Driving on sand Observe the following rules when driving on
sand: R
Select the Offroad drive program (vehicles
with Off-Road Engineering package)
( Y
page 215). R
Select the Offroad drive program (vehicles
without Off-Road Engineering package)
( Y
page 214). R
Select a higher vehicle level. R
Avoid high engine speeds. R
Use the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter to shift to a lower gear appropriate to
the terrain. R
Drive quickly to overcome the rolling resist-
ance. Otherwise the vehicle's wheels could
become stuck in loose ground. R
Drive in the tracks of other vehicles if possi-
ble. Make sure that: -
the tire ruts are not too deep. -
the sand is sufficiently firm. -
the ground clearance of the vehicle is suf-
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 following rules when driving along
ruts in off-road terrain or on roads with loose
gravel: R
Select the Offroad drive program (vehicles
with Off-Road Engineering package)
( Y
page 215). R
Select the Offroad drive program (vehicles
without Off-Road Engineering package)
( Y
page 214). R
Select a higher vehicle level. R
Avoid high engine speeds. R
Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand steer-
ing wheel paddle shifter. R
Drive slowly. R
Where ruts are too deep, drive with the
wheels of one side on the center grassy area,
if possible. Driving tips 167
Driving and parking Z

Drivin g over obstacles
! Obstacles could damage th e floor of th e
vehicle or component s of th e chassis. As k
passenger s fo r guidanc e when drivin g over
larg e obstacles. The passenger should always
keep a saf e distanc e from th e vehicle when
doin g so in order to avoid injury as a result of
unexpecte d vehicle movements . Afte r drivin g
off-road or over obstacles, chec k th e vehicle
fo r possible damage, especially to th e under-
bod y and th e component s of th e chassis.
Observ e th e followin g rule s when drivin g over
tree stumps, larg e stones and other obstacles:R
Selec t th e Offroad drive program (vehicles
wit h Off-Road Engineerin g package)
( Y
page 215).R
Selec t th e Offroad drive program (vehicles
without Off-Road Engineerin g package)
( Y
page 214).R
Selec t LO W RANGE offroad gear (vehicles
wit h Off-Road Engineerin g package)
( Y
page 216)R
Raise th e vehicle level.R
Avoid hig h engin e speeds .R
Shift to a lowe r gear usin g th e left-han d steer -
in g whee l paddle shifter.R
Drive ver y slowly.R
Drive straight over th e center of obstacles.
Traveling uphil l
Approach/departur e angle
G WARNING
If you drive on a steep inclin e at an angle or
turn when drivin g on an incline, th e vehicle could slip sideways , ti p and rollover. There is a
ris k of an accident.
Always drive on a steep inclin e in th e lin e of
fall (straight up or down ) and do no t turn th e
vehicle. R
Observ e th e rule s on off-road driving.R
Do no t drive at an angle on slopes , inclines or
gradients, but instead follow th e direc t lin e of
fall . R
Whe n drivin g down an incline, mak e use of th e
engine's braking effect . Observ e th e engin e
speed; do no t overrev th e engine.R
Selec t th e Offroad drive program (vehicles
wit h Off-Road Engineerin g package)
( Y
page 215). R
Selec t th e Offroad drive program (vehicles
without Off-Road Engineerin g package)
( Y
page 214). R
Before drivin g on extreme uphill and downhill
gradients, selec t th e LO W RANGE offroad
gear (vehicles wit h Off-Road Engineerin g
package) ( Y
page 216). R
Drive slowly. R
Avoid hig h engin e speeds . Drive at appropri-
at e engin e speeds (maximum 3,000 rpm). R
Use th e left-han d steerin g whee l paddle
shifter to shift into a lowe r gear in goo d time
on lon g and steep downhill gradients. R
Chec k th e brake s after prolonged off-road
driving.
Hil l start assist will aid you when pulli ng a way on
a h
ill . Fo r further information about hill start
assist , see ( Y
page 139).
Do no t switch to transmissio n position N when
drivin g off-road. If you tr y to brake th e vehicle
usin g th e servic e brake , you could los e contro l
of th e vehicle. If th e gradient is to o steep fo r your
vehicle, drive bac k down in revers e gear .
Always observ e th e approach/departure angle
values ( Y
page 393).
Maximum gradient-climbing capabilit y
Always observ e th e maximum gradient climbin g
ability values ( Y
page 393).168
Driving tips
Driving and parking

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: R
the vehicle from lifting off the ground on the
brow of a hill R
the vehicle from traveling too quickly down
the other side
Driving downhill R
Drive slowly. R
Do 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. R
Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand pad-
dle shifter before tackling steep downhill gra-
dients. R
Activate 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. R
Check that the brakes are working normally
after a long downhill stretch.
i The special off-road ABS setting enables a
precise, brief and repeated locking of the
front wheels. This causes them to dig into
loose earth. Be aware that the front wheels
easily skid across the ground surface if com-
pletely braked and therefore lose their ability
to steer.
Driving systems
Intelligent Drive Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive stands for inno-
vative driver assistance and safety systems
which enhance comfort and support the driver in
critical situations. With these intelligent co-ordi-
nated systems Mercedes-Benz has set a mile-
stone on the path towards autonomous driving.
Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive embraces all
elements of active and passive safety in one well
thought out system – for the safety of the vehi-
cle occupants and that of other road users. Further information on driving safety systems
( Y
page 66).
Cruise control
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road speed
for you. It brakes automatically in order to avoid
exceeding the set speed. You must select a
lower gear in good time on long and steep down-
hill gradients, especially if the vehicle is laden or
towing a trailer. 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 wearing too
quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions make it appropriate to maintain a steady
speed for a prolonged period. You can store any
road speed above 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, 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.
Do not use cruise control: 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
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.Driving systems 169
Driving and parking Z

Deactivating cruis e contro lThere are severa l ways to deactivat e cruise con-
trol: X
Briefly press th e cruise contro l lever for-
ward s C .
or X
Brake.
Cruise contro l is automatically deactivated if:R
you engage th e electric parking brakeR
you are drivin g at les s than 20 mph (30 km/ h)R
ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R
you activate DSR R
you activate the Offroad Plus program (vehi-
cles with the Off-Road Engineering package) R
you shift the transmission to position N while
driving
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone. You will see the Cruise Con‐
trol Off message in the multifunction display
for approximately five seconds.
i When 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 so that the set speed is not exceeded.
You must select a lower gear in good time on
long and steep downhill gradients, especially if
the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer. 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.
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.
For Distance Pilot DISTRONIC to assist you
when driving, the radar sensor system must be
operational.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC ope rates in the range
b etween 0 mph (0 km/h) and 120 mph
(200 km/h).
Do not use Distance Pilot DISTRONIC while driv-
ing on roads with steep gradients.
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.
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 automotive radar
system only. Removing, tampering with, or
altering the device will void any warranties,
and is not permitted by the FCC. Do not tam-
per 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.
i Canada only: This device complies with
RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful inter-
ference, and
2. This device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Do not tamper with, alter or use in any non-
appro ved w ay.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user's authority to operate the
equipment.
Important safety notes
G WARNING
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC does not react to: R
people or animals R
stationary objects on the road, e.g. stopped
or parked vehicles R
oncoming vehicles and crossing trafficDriving system s 171
Dr ivi ng an d parking Z

Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is automatically deac-
tivated if: R
you engage the electric parking brake or if the
vehicle is automatically secured with the elec-
tric parking brake R
ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R
the transmission is in the P , R or N positionR
you pull the cruise control lever towards you
in order to pull away and the front-passenger
door or one of the rear doors is open R
you activate Parking Pilot R
the vehicle is skidding
A warning tone sounds. The Distance Pilot
Off message will appear in the multifunction
display for approximately five seconds.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is automatically deac-
tivated if: R
you activate DSR R
you activate the OFFROAD Program+ (vehi-
cles with the Off-Road Engineering package)
The

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 165).
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
drivingDriving systems 179
Driving and parking Z

R
offroad level 1 for driving on easily negotiable
off-road terrain R
offroad level 2 for driving on normal off-road
terrain R
offroad level 3 for freeing the vehicle in par-
ticularly rough terrain at low speeds only
The individual vehicle levels differ from the nor-
mal level as follows: R
–0.6 in (–15 mm) in the Sport drive programR
+/–0 in (+/–0 mm) in the Comfort drive pro-
gram R
+ 1.2 in (+ 30 mm) in the Offroad drive pro-
gram R
+ 2.4 in (+ 60 mm) in the Offroad Plus drive
program R
+ 1.2 in (+ 30 mm) in offroad level 1 R
+ 2.4 in (+ 60 mm) in offroad level 2 R
+ 3.5 in (+ 90 mm) in offroad level 3
Setting the vehicle level
! Make sure that there is enough ground
clearance when the vehicle is being lowered.
It could otherwise hit the ground, damaging
the underbody.
Set the vehicle level using the selector wheel. X
Start the engine. X
Press selector wheel C .
Selector wheel C extends.X
To raise the vehicle: turn selector wheel C
clockwise D .
The vehicle is raised. X
To lower the vehicle: turn selector wheel C
counter-clockwise

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.
i Do 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.
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If the vehicle is only braked using the HOLD
function, the vehicle may roll away in the fol-
lowing situations when you leave the vehicle: R
if there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply R
if the HOLD function is deactivated by
depressing the accelerator pedal or brake
pedal, e.g. by a vehicle occupant R
if the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are tam-
pered with or the battery is disconnected
There is a risk of an accident.
Always deactivate the HOLD function and
secure the vehicle against rolling away before
you leave it.
! 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: R
when towing the vehicle R
in the car wash
Deactivate the HOLD function ( Y
page 182). Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if: R
the vehicle is stationary R
the engine is running or if it has been auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function R
the driver's door is closed or your seat belt is
fastened R
the electric parking brake is released R
the transmission is in position [ , ^ or \\R
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is deactivated
Activating the HOLD function X
Make sure that the activation conditions are
met. X
Depress the brake pedal. X
Quickly depress the brake pedal further
until C appears in the multifunction display.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
i If depressing the brake pedal the first time
does not activate the HOLD function, wait
briefly and then try again.
Deactivating the HOLD function The HOLD function is deactivated automatically
if: R
you depress the accelerator and the trans-
mission is in position [ or ^R
you shift the transmission to position ]R
you depress the brake pedal again with a cer-
tain amount of pressure until C disappears
from the multifunction display R
you secure the vehicle using the electric park-
ing brake R
you activate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
i After a time, the electric parking brake
secures the vehicle and relieves the service
brake.182
Driving systems
Driving and parking