2018 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS Owners Manual

Deactivating/activating ESP ®
Important safet y notes
i Observ e th e "Important safet y notes" sec -
tion ( Y
page 66).
You can selec t between th e followin g states of
ES P ®
: R
ES P ®
is activated.R
ES P ®
is deactivated.
G WARNING
If you deactivat e ES P ®
, ES P ®
no longer sta-
bilizes th e vehicle. There is an increase d ris k
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivat e ES P ®
in th e situation s descri-
bed in th e following.
It may be bes t to deactivat e ES P ®
in th e follow -
in g situations: R
when usin g snow chain sR
in dee p snowR
on san d or grave l
Spinning th e wheels result s in a cutting action
whic h provides bette r grip.
i Activat e ES P ®
as soo n as th e situation s
described abov e no longer apply . ES P ®
will
otherwise no t be able to stabilize th e vehicle if
th e vehicle start s to skid or a whee l start s to
spin.
! Avoid spinnin g th e driven wheels fo r an
extended period wit h ES P ®
deactivated. You
could otherwise damage th e drivetrain .
Deactivating/activating ESP ® X
To deactivate : press butto n C .
The

wind driving assistance function integrated in
ESP ®
noticeably reduces these impairments.
ESP ®
intervenes automatically according to the
direction and intensity of the crosswinds affect-
ing your vehicle.
ESP ®
intervenes with stabilizing braking to
assist you in keeping the vehicle in the lane.
Crosswind Assist is active at vehicle speeds
above 50 mph (80 km/ h) when driving straight
ahead or cornering gently.
Important safety notes Crosswind Assist does not work if ESP ®
is
switched off or deactivated because of a mal-
function.
EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
General information EBD monitors and controls the brake pressure
on the rear wheels to improve driving stability
while braking.
Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems ( Y
page 66).
G WARNING
If EBD is malfunctioning, the rear wheels can
lock, e.g. under full braking. This increases the
risk of skidding and an accident.
You should therefore adapt your driving style
to the different handling characteristics. Have
the brake system checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps ( Y
page 282) as well as display
messages ( Y
page 251).
ADAPTIVE BRAKE
ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety and
offers increased braking comfort. In addition to
the braking function, ADAPTIVE BRAKE also has
the HOLD function ( Y
page 187) and hill start
assist ( Y
page 143). Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic
function
General information
i Pay attention to the important safety notes
in the "Driving safety systems" section
( Y
page 66).
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function
can help you to minimize the risk of a collision
with a vehicle in front or a pedestrian and reduce
the effects of such a collision. If the Active Brake
Assist with cross-traffic function detects a risk
of collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically and, if necessary, your brake appli-
cation will be assisted according to the situa-
tion. If you do not react, the system can also
react by braking automatically. In the event of a
detected risk of collision due to crossing traffic,
you will also be visually and acoustically warned
as well as assisted by the brake boosting effect
according to the situation.
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function is
only available in vehicles with the Driving Assis-
tance Plus package.
For Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic func-
tion to assist you when driving, the radar sensor
system and the camera system must be opera-
tional.
If the radar sensor system or the camera system
is malfunctioning, Active Brake Assist with
cross-traffic function is restricted or no longer
available. The brake system is still available with
complete brake boosting effect and BAS.
The radar sensor system and camera system
help Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic func-
tion to detect obstacles that are in t he path of
your
vehicle for an extended period of time.
In addition, pedestrians in the path of your vehi-
cle can be detected.
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function
detects pedestrians using typical characteris-
tics such as body contours and the posture of a
person standing upright.
i Observe the restrictions described in the
"Important safety notes" section
( Y
page 73).72
Driving safety systems
Safety

Important safety notes
G WARNIN G
Active Brake Assist wit h cross-traffic function
will initially brak e your vehicl e by a partial
application of th e brakes if a danger of colli-
sion is detected. Ther e may be a collision
unless you brak e yourself . Even after subse-
quen t full application of th e brakes a collision
canno t always be avoided, particularly when
approachin g at to o high a speed. Ther e is a
ris k of an accident.
Always apply th e brakes yourself and tr y to
tak e evasive action , provide d it is saf e to do
so.
In th e event of a partial application of th e brakes,
th e vehicl e is braked wit h up to 50 % of th e full
braking pressure.
G WARNIN G
Active Brake Assist wit h cross-traffic function
canno t always clearly identify objects and
comple x traffic situations.
In suc h cases, Active Brake Assist wit h cross -
traffic function might :R
issu e an unnecessary warning or engageR
neither giv e a warning no r interven e
Ther e is a ris k of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to th e traffic
situation and be prepare d to brake, especially
if Active Brake Assist wit h cross-traffic func-
tion alerts you. Terminate th e intervention in a
non-critical driving situation .
G WARNIN G
Active Brake Assist wit h cross-traffic function
canno t always clearly identify people, partic-
ularly if they are moving . Active Brake Assist
wit h cross-traffic function canno t interven e in
these cases. Ther e is a ris k of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to th e traffic
situation and be prepare d to brake, especially
if Active Brake Assist wit h cross-traffic func-
tion alerts you. In order to maintai n th e appropriat e distanc e to
th e vehicl e in fron t and thus preven t a collision ,
you must apply th e brakes yourself .
G WARNIN G
Active Brake Assist wit h cross-traffic function
does no t react: R
to small people, e.g. children R
to animals R
to oncomin g vehicles R
when cornering
As a result , Active Brake Assist wit h cross -
traffic function may no t warn you or engage in
all critical situations. Ther e is a ris k of an acci-
dent.
Always pay careful attention to th e traffic sit -
uation and be read y to brake.
In th e event of snowfall or heav y rain , th e rec -
ognition can be impaired.
Recognition by th e radar sensor system is also
impaire d if: R
there is dirt on th e sensor s or anythin g else
covering th e sensor sR
there is interferenc e by other radar source sR
there are stron g radar reflections, for exam-
ple in parking garages R
a narrow vehicl e is traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike R
a vehicl e is traveling in fron t on a differen t lin e
relative to th e center of your vehicl eR
vehicles quickly mov e int o th e radar sensor
system detection range
Recognition by th e camera system is also
impaire d in th e event of: R
dirt on th e camera or if th e camera is coveredR
glar e on th e camera system, e.g. from th e sun
bein g low in th e sk yR
darkness R
or if: -
pedestrian s mov e quickly, e.g. int o th e p at h
of th e vehicl e -
th e camera system no longer recognizes a
pedestrian as a person due to special cloth -
ing or other objects -
a pedestrian is concealed by other objects -
th e typical outlin e of a person is no t distin-
guishable from th e backgroun dDriving safety systems 73
Safety Z

Following damage to the front end of the vehicle,
have the configuration and operation of the
radar sensors checked at a qualified specialist
workshop. This also applies to collisions at slow
speeds where there is no visible damage to the
front of the vehicle.
Following damage to the windshield, have the
configuration and operation of the camera sys-
tem checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Function X
To activate or deactivate: activate or deac-
tivate Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic
function using the on-board computer
( Y
page 242).
If the Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic
function is deactivated, the

The braking application of Active Brake Assist
with cross-traffic function is ended automati-
cally if: R
you maneuver to avoid the obstacle R
there is no longer a risk of collision R
there is no longer an obstacle detected in
front of your vehicle
STEER CONTROL
General information STEER CONTROL helps you by transmitting a
noticeable steering force to the steering wheel
in the direction required for vehicle stabilization.
This steering assistance is provided in particular
if: R
both right wheels or both left wheels are on a
wet or slippery road surface when you brake R
the vehicle starts to skid
Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Y
page 66).
No steering assistance is provided from STEER
CONTROL, if: R
ESP ®
is deactivatedR
ESP ®
is malfunctioningR
the steering is malfunctioning
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, you will be assisted
further by the electrical power steering.
Protection against theft
Immobilizer X
To activate with the SmartKey: remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock. X
To activate with KEYLESS-GO: switch the
ignition off and open the driver's door. X
To deactivate: switch on the ignition.
The immobilizer prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct SmartKey.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Anyone
can start the engine if a valid SmartKey has been
left inside the vehicle. i The immobilizer is always deactivated when
you start the engine.
In the event that the engine cannot be started
(yet the vehicle's battery is charged), the sys-
tem is not operational. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or call
1-800 FOR-MERCEDES (in the USA) or
1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
ATA (anti-theft alarm system) X
To arm: lock the vehicle with the SmartKey or
KEYLESS-GO.
Indicator lamp C flashes. The alarm system
is armed after approximately 15 seconds. X
To switch off using the SmartKey: unlock
the vehicle with the SmartKey.
or X
Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock. X
To switch off using KEYLESS-GO: unlock
the vehicle with KEYLESS-GO.
or X
Press the Start/Stop button on the dash-
board. The SmartKey must be inside the vehi-
cle.
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is armed and you open: R
a door R
the vehicle with the mechanical key R
the tailgate R
the hoodProtection against theft 75
Safety Z

X
To switch the alarm off with the Smart-
Key: press the 6 or 7 button on the
SmartKey.
The alarm is stopped.
or X
Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
The alarm is stopped. X
To stop the alarm using KEYLESS-GO:
grasp the outside door handle. The SmartKey
must be outside the vehicle.
The alarm is stopped.
or X
Press the Start/Stop button on the dash-
board. The SmartKey must be inside the vehi-
cle.
The alarm is stopped.
The alarm is not switched off, even if you close
the open door that triggered it, for example.
i If the alarm continues for more than
30 seconds, the mbrace emergency call sys-
tem automatically notifies the Customer
Assistance Center. This is done either by text
message or data connection. The emergency
call system sends the message or data provi-
ded that: R
you have subscribed to the mbrace service. R
the mbrace service has been activated
properly. R
the necessary mobile phone network is
available.76
Protection against theft
Safety

SmartKey
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could: R
open the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users. R
get out and disrupt traffic. R
operate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they: R
release the parking brake. R
shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position PR
Start the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children.
G WARNING
If you attach heavy or large objects to the
SmartKey, the SmartKey could be uninten-
tionally turned in the ignition lock. This could
cause the engine to be switched off. There is a
risk of an accident.
Do not attach any heavy or large objects to the
SmartKey. Remove any bulky key rings before
inserting the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
! Keep the SmartKey away from strong mag-
netic fields. Otherwise, the remote control
function could be affected.
Strong magnetic fields can occur in the vicin-
ity of powerful electrical installations.
Do not keep the SmartKey: R
with electronic devices, e.g. a mobile phone
or another SmartKey. R
with metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal foil. R
inside metallic objects, e.g. a metal case.
This can affect the functionality of the Smart-
Key. Do not keep the KEYLESS-GO or KEYLESS-GO
Start function key in the temperature-controlled
cup holder. Otherwise, the KEYLESS-GO or KEY-
LESS-GO Start function key will not be detected.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO start function: do
not keep the SmartKey in the cargo compart-
ment. Otherwise, the SmartKey may not be
detected, e.g. when starting the engine using
the Start/Stop button.
SmartKey functions
C
7 Locks the vehicleD
T Opens/closes the tailgate

If activated in the multimedia system, the loca-
tor lighting also lights up in the dark (see the
Digital Operator's Manual). X
To open the tailgate automatically from
outside the vehicle: press and hold the T
button until the tailgate opens.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: X
To close the tailgate automatically from
outside the vehicle: if the SmartKey is loca-
ted in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle,
press the T button on the SmartKey.
When the tailgate closes you can then release
the button.
KEYLESS-GO
General notes Bear in mind that the engine can be started by
any of the vehicle occupants if there is a KEY-
LESS-GO key in the vehicle ( Y
page 142).
Locking/unlocking centrally You can start, lock or unlock the vehicle using
KEYLESS-GO. To do this, you only need carry the
SmartKey with you. You can combine the func-
tions of KEYLESS-GO with those of a conven-
tional SmartKey. Unlock the vehicle by using
KEYLESS-GO, for instance, and lock it using the
7 button on the SmartKey.
The driver's door and the door at which the han-
dle is used, must both be closed. The SmartKey
must be outside the vehicle. When locking or
unlocking with KEYLESS-GO, the distance
between the SmartKey and the corresponding
door handle must not be greater than 3 ft (1 m).
KEYLESS-GO checks whether a valid SmartKey
is in the vehicle by periodically establishing a
radio connection between the vehicle and the
SmartKey. This happens: R
when starting the engine R
while driving R
when the external door handles are touched R
during convenience closing X
To unlock the vehicle: touch the inner sur-
face of the door handle. X
To lock the vehicle: touch sensor surface C
or D .
Make sure that you do not touch the inner
surface of the door handle. X
Convenience closing feature: touch
recessed sensor surface D for an extended
period.
Further information on the convenience closing
feature ( Y
page 90).
If you pull on the handle of the tailgate, only the
cargo compartment of the vehicle is unlocked.
Deactivating and activating If you do not intend to use a SmartKey for an
extended period of time, you can deactivate the
KEYLESS-GO function of the SmartKey. The
SmartKey will then use very little power, thereby
conserving battery power. For the purposes of
activation/deactivation, the vehicle must not be
nearby. X
To deactivate: press the 7 button on the
SmartKey twice in rapid succession.
The battery check lamp of the SmartKey
flashes twice briefly and lights up once, KEY-
LESS-GO is deactivated ( Y
page 80).X
To activate: press any button on the Smart-
Key.
or X
Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
KEYLESS-GO and all of its associated features
are available again.78
SmartKey
Opening and closing